CHURCHES across the country, accustomed to charitable giving during the Yuletide season, are refocussing on gifts of the spirit this year, rather than just material goods traditionally given to the needy.

Several local churches, faced with tough financial times, will not be giving much more than they are accustomed to throughout the year.

According to some pastors who spoke to the Sunday Observer, giving back to the community is something practised each week as they try to meet the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of residents living in areas surrounding their churches. As such, special treats will not be a part of the agenda for some of them this year.

“It is hardly likely you are going to find anything extraordinary, apart from congregations doing special meals for the indigent and less fortunate,” said president of the Jamaica Council of Churches and of the Moravian Church in Jamaica, Dr Paul Gardner.

He said while some of the Moravian churches will be handing out gift baskets and young members have been encouraged to extend a helping hand to the elderly, the real reason for the season is to celebrate the birth of Christ.

“It is a time when we speak about hope and what hope means for us as Christians,” he said, while cautioning individuals to spend wisely, amidst the challenges of daily living which has caused many to lose hope.

Bishop Herro Blair, President of the Deliverance Evangelistic Association, said his church, located off Waltham Park Road in Kingston, will not be going above what they have always been doing.

“We will be continuing the programme we do throughout the year, because we do our social programmes throughout the year, not just one week in December,” the pastor said.

Executive chairman of the Church of God in Jamaica and Convenor of the Jamaica Umbrella Groups of Churches, Reverend Lenworth Anglin said while some individual churches will be undertaking special projects to further reach out to the poor, “the average will not be doing anything”.

“It has been a challenging year, but we are also going to be thinking of how to carry the message of the season of goodwill beyond Christmas, not just at Christmas,” he said.

Instead of hosting special treats, president of the Jamaica Association of Full Gospel Churches, Bishop Rohan Edwards, said his church, based in Spanish Town, St Catherine, will be focusing on bringing about peace and neighbourly love this Christmas.

“Christmas morning, we will be gathering persons from the communities. We’ll start walking from 6 am and we will be singing Christmas carols throughout our community and we are going to be gathering on an open lot and we are going to be asking them (residents) to express love,” he said, explaining that this expression of love will come through them visiting the homes of those who are unable to join them in worship that morning.

Some churches, in the spirit of the season, said beneficiaries of their usual outreach projects can expect a little bit more this Christmas to make them feel extra special.

“We will be having expressions that will make special attempts to reach those on the margins of life, the vulnerable people, the old, the ill, the children in children’s home and so forth, almost every one of our churches will be reaching out,” said general secretary of the Jamaica Baptist Union, Reverend Karl Johnson. He said individual churches would be undertaking different projects.

Project director for the East Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Vermont Morris, said the Good Samaritan Inn, which is

operated by the group will be having a special treat on December 26 for those who visit the shelter regularly for a bath and meal. An average of 250 persons are assisted by the group on the days they operate, but this Christmas they are hoping to feed way above that number.

“It is going to be a special day as we will be serving a nice meal that is different from the one we have always served,” said Morris. He added that beneficiaries will be given sorrel and Christmas pudding, which are two favourite treats this time of the year. Morris, who was keen to point out though that the group tries to treat these individuals well throughout the year, added:

“There are a lot of people who do things at Christmas time, but the Good Samaritan Inn is an all-year ministry,” he stressed.

Other churches have been steadily carrying out special Christmas activities, primarily geared towards the elderly and children. President of the Jamaica Association of Evangelicals, Reverend Rennard White said his church, based in Waterhouse, Kingston, feted elderly persons in the community last week and plan to do the same for the children in the area later this week.

“We have other treats throughout the year, but at Christmas, we treat the goldenagers and the children especially,” he said.

He hopes that throughout all the festivities during the Yuletide season, people will not forget the fact that Jesus Christ is the reason for the celebrations.

Meanwhile, faith-based charity groups such as Food for the Poor, Missionaries of the Poor and the Salvation Army have been hosting a raft of Christmas treats intended to help their beneficiaries feel special.

Founder of Missionaries of the Poor, Father Richard HoLung, said they have had a number of businesses and individuals visiting their six shelters over the past two weeks to offer assistance and to fellowship with the residents.

“It is just amazing seeing people’s kindness for each of the centres,” said HoLung, who added that he was overwhelmed by the generosity of Jamaicans who are still giving even in this difficult time of serious financial challenges.

The brothers from the missionary have been going to various schools to sing carols and dance, as they share the message of the birth of Jesus Christ, and will be assisting with the handing out of between 2,000-3,000 gifts to children and adults who are in need.

Food for the Poor has also been spreading Christmas cheer by hosting various treats intended to uplift the spirits of the elderly, children in state care and the destitute. Some of these projects have been undertaken in collaboration with the Salvation Army who has also done other Christmas projects on their own.

Major Stanley Griffin of the Eastern Jamaica Division of the Salvation Army said his group has visited areas such as Rae Town, North Parade, Jones Town, Alman Town and areas off Spanish Town Road in the capital, to hand out gift packages, meals and money to those in need. Treats have also been held for the children at the organisation’s three children homes.

Griffin said they have only been able to collect half of the $12 million for their annual Christmas kettle which was launched on November 17, but he is hoping that they will reach the target by December 24.

“The giving has not been good in terms of donation. People are giving not as how they are accustomed to, ” he said. “But we are hoping that it will get better.”