Operation Christmas Child Collections Begin November 15 At First Baptist Bratt

November 3, 2021

Volunteers will be busy soon at the First Baptist Church of Bratt during “National Collection Week” for Operation Christmas Child (OCC). For the 28th year, the simple, gift-filled shoe boxes will bring Christmas joy and evangelistic materials to children in over 150 countries across the world.

National Collection Week for OCC is November 17-25. The First Baptist  Church of Bratt is the official drop-off location/OCC Relay Center for North Escambia.

Pastor Tim Hawsey, location coordinator, said the shoe boxes are distributed by trained local pastors and volunteers around the world…right where the children live. The children that receive the box are invited to participate in a 12-step bible study called The Greatest Journey translated into their native language and taught by local people the children know.

Collection hours at the First Baptist Church of Bratt will be:

  • Mon, Nov. 15: 9 a.m. – noon
  • Tue, Nov. 16: 9 a.m. – noon
  • Wed, Nov. 17: 9 a.m. – noon, 5-8 p.m.
  • Thu, Nov. 18: 3-6 p.m.
  • Fri, Nov. 19: 9 a.m. – noon
  • Sat, Nov. 20: 9 a.m. – noon
  • Sun, Nov. 21: 4-7 p.m.
  • Mon, Nov. 22: 8-10 a.m.

“This is about being a blessing and bringing God’s love and hope to children in poverty around the world that would not receive it otherwise. We have gone through the intense process of been approved as a church to be a drop off locaton to collect the boxes from individuals, families, and churches of our area, document and pack them into special cartons and take them to the next level for Samaritan’s Purse, and we have been blessed to do it for years now,” Hawsey said.

Operation Christmas Child boxes should be packed in a specific manner. For more information, call Hawsey at the First Baptist Church of Bratt at (850) 327-6529, visit www.samaritanspurse.org/occ, or call (800) 353-5949. Resources are available for churches that wish to participate.

“If you are not able to pack a box but would like to make a contribution toward a box let me know,” Hawsey said.

Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational non-profit organization that has missions opportunities all over the world.

The First Baptist Church of Bratt is located at 4570 West Highway 4, near the Travis. M. Nelson Park.

Comments

One Response to “Operation Christmas Child Collections Begin November 15 At First Baptist Bratt”

  1. Jlb on November 5th, 2021 12:09 pm

    I’ve participated in this in past years. I really enjoy doing this. Went from one box…to two.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News