Friends,

I hope this email finds you well. Time got away and the annual Fourth Ward Christmas Toy Drive snuck up on me. (Have you noticed how many houses already have Christmas lights going up?) Thanks to everyone’s generosity and support, the past several years’ toy drives at the Rose of Sharon Church have been overwhelming successes, and we even set a fundraising record last year. This is a wonderful event, and sometimes the parents are more touched than the kids. These gifts may be one of the only gifts these kids receive for Christmas.

I have been blessed to know so many generous people and know that we all support various causes, yet have limited resources. If you’re able, please consider making a donation, either through the GoFundMe link below, Zelle or check. If you would like your donation to be tax deductible, please make the check payable to Rose of Sharon Missionary Baptist Church and send it to me at 1300 Post Oak Blvd, STE 1650, Houston, TX 77056. Any excess funds from this event, if available, will be donated to the church. Even if you are unable to donate, please consider sharing this with your network.

If you wish to donate, please do so by Monday, November 21st. Check, Zelle, or GoFundMe. In a change from years past, this year we would prefer monetary donations over toys so that we can better control the value of gifts each kid receives.

We will also need help with wrapping, packing and transportation. This is a huge undertaking. Please let me know if you are available to help.

The toy drive will be held at Rose of Sharon Baptist Church (1106 Valentine). We have not yet set the date (typically target the last day of school for HISD), but I will send another email once the date has been confirmed.

Below is a recap of last year’s event:

Once again, thanks to your generosity and support, the Christmas toy drive was a tremendous success. We raised a total of $39,790. With these funds, we were able to purchase over 800 top-tier toys with an average value of over $40 each, which included, among other toys:

We also had many gifts donated. Additionally, we served snacks and drinks, Domino’s pizza, Kona Ice snow cones and individually wrapped cookie and candy bags. HPD attended, HFD came out with a fire truck, and we had a balloon twister and face painter.

As always, I am humbled by everyone’s generosity and support. This obviously would not be possible without your support. You truly made a difference this Christmas in this community. Thank you.

Reverend Elmo Johnson is deeply involved in his neighborhood, the Fourth Ward, and he and the church do so much for those residents. COVID has left the church is in a difficult financial situation this year. If you would like to donate directly to the church, you may do so through the links below or by contacting Reverend Johnson or me.

Here are links to the Rose of Sharon church and Uplift 4th Ward, an organization through which Reverend Johnson does much of his work.

http://www.uplift4thward.org/home.html

https://www.roseofsharon4thward.org/default.html

God commands us throughout the bible to glorify Him by loving others, being generous and taking care of the poor and those less fortunate.

“We want you to know what God’s grace has accomplished in the churches in Macedonia. They have been severely tested by the troubles they went through; but their joy was so great that they were extremely generous in their giving, even though they are very poor.”

2 Corinthians 8:1-2

“Remember this saying, “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” Each of you must make up your own mind about how much to give. But don’t feel sorry that you must give and don’t feel you are forced to give. God loves people who love to give. God can bless you with everything you need, and you will always have more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others. The scriptures say, “God freely gives his gifts to the poor, and always does right.” God gives seeds to farmers and provides everyone with food. He will increase what you have, so you can give even more to those in need. You will be blessed in every way, and you will be able to keep on being generous. Then many people will thank God when you deliver your gift. What you are doing is much more than a service that supplies God’s people with what they need. It is something that will make many others thank God. The way in which you have proved yourselves by this service will bring honor and praise to God. You believed the message about Christ, and you obeyed it by sharing generously with God’s people and with everyone else. Now they are praying for you and want to see you, because God used you to bless them so very much. Thank God for his gift that is too wonderful for words.”

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

“God has also given each of us different gifts to use. If we can prophesy, we should do it according to the amount of faith we have. If we can encourage others, we should encourage them. If we can give, we should be generous. If we are leaders, we should do our best. If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully.”

Romans 12:6, 8

“All the Law says can be summed up in the command to love others as much as you love yourself.”

Galatians 5:14

“Share every good thing you have with anyone who teaches you what God has said.”

Galatians 6:6

“Don't get tired of helping others. You will be rewarded when the time is right, if you don't give up. We should help people whenever we can, especially if they are followers of the Lord.”

Galatians 6:9-10

“You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand.”

Galatians 6:2

“Honor the Lord by giving him your money and the first part of all your crops. Then you will have more grain and grapes than you will ever need.”

Proverbs 3:9-10

“Giving to the poor will keep you from poverty, but if you close your eyes to their needs, everyone will curse you.”

Proverbs 28:27

“Caring for the poor is lending to the Lord, and you will be well repaid.”

Proverbs 19:17

“Generosity will be rewarded: Give a cup of water, and you will receive a cup of water in return.”

Proverbs 11:25

“Sometimes you can become rich by being generous or poor by being greedy.”

Proverbs 11:24

“But people who obey God are always generous.”

Proverbs 21:26

“If you give to others, you will be given a full amount in return. It will be packed down, shaken together, and spilling over into your lap. The way you treat others is the way you will be treated.”

Luke 6:38

“God has been generous with you, he will expect you to serve him well. But if he has been more than generous, he will expect you to serve him even better.”

Luke 12:48

“Take care of God's needy people and welcome strangers into your home.”

Romans 12:13

“If we have all we need and see one of our own people in need, we must have pity on that person, or else we cannot say we love God. Children, you show love for others by truly helping them, and not merely by talking about it.”

1 John 3:17-18

“An evil person borrows and never pays back; a good person is generous and never stops giving.”

Psalms 37:21

“They gladly give and lend, and their children turn out good.”

Psalms 37:26

“Our sacrifice is to keep offering praise to God in the name of Jesus. But don't forget to help others and to share your possessions with them. This too is like offering a sacrifice that pleases God.”

Hebrews 13:15-16

“Don't be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves. Care about them as much as you care about yourselves”

Philippians 2:3-4

“There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.”

Acts 20:35 GNT

“Instruct them to do as many good deeds as they can and to help everyone. Remind the rich to be generous and share what they have.”

1 Timothy 6:18

Thank you and many blessings.

DERICK CRAIG