Throughout the year, we pray specifically each month for two of our twenty four Gift Day beneficiaries, highlighting the work of one from the UK and an International one. This is designed to ensure that the church as a whole prays for each of them at least once during a twelve or, strictly speaking a thirteen month cycle.
This coming Sunday (4 September) though, Rowena Worthington, Church Relationships Manager at Embrace the Middle East, is coming to preach at the launch of Gift Day 2022, which climaxes on Sunday 25th September. Consequently, we will be praying this month for God’s blessing on the overall outcome of Gift Day and for all the charities to which our gifts will go, rather than for any two individual ones.
In 2021, Gift Day donations with Gift Aid meant that we were able to give away £55,000 and in response, we received many heart-warming expressions of thanks. This year’s cost of living crisis is particularly difficult for many, following too our church appeal for regular giving to Sunnyside’s own finances. Nevertheless, please pray about what you are able to give, all of which we give away and goes towards those whom our charities support in body, mind and spirit, enabling us and them to share the love of Christ with the poor & needy.
If you want to know where your money will go and to pray for each beneficiary, then please go to the Gift Day page of our website and click on the Gift Day 2022 Leaflet link. Details of the carefully selected charities, 12 International ones and 12 based in the UK, can be found in the leaflet and by clicking here.
We also allocate a small sum for Go Grants, which have in the past provided opportunities for Sunnysiders to gain short-term experiences on the mission field overseas. Bex Henderson and Heidi Longworth are notable examples of where these grants have planted very fruitful seeds.