Canton Church of the Brethren

The following message about the COB Blessing Box was read during the Mission Moment portion of service on July 9, 2017.  The Blessing Box is being used regularly and in need of resupplying.  Anyone able to donate, especially toiletries and diapers, please bring items to the Canton Church of the Brethren located at 269 E Chestnut Street Canton, IL 61520. Items will be stored in the old quilting room located in the back of the Sanctuary.

We are blessed so that we may bless others. Stated another way, we are given the opportunity to pay it forward. God appreciates, most likely, receiving our gratitude for the blessings we are given. But it stands to reason that God appreciates our gratitude more when we share with others.

We, the Canton Church of the Brethren, have taken this to heart with one of our special projects, the Blessing Box. We have food to eat and items to care for our health and appearance; blessings for sure. But some people in our community struggle to put food on the table and care for their being in the best way, through no fault of their own. The deck seems to be stacked not in their favor. So, our blessing box is a means by which those who are finding challenges in life may also find and receive blessings.

Items are being removed from the box on a regular basis, which is the intended purpose, which means we have an even greater opportunity to bless those who use it, which in turn means we have the challenge (and it is a good challenge) to keep the box stocked.

We give our tithes and offerings on Sunday morning, and contributing items for the blessing box is yet another way to give. If you want to be a blessing to others in a tangible way, supplying items for the blessing box is one avenue. Non-perishable food items, toiletries, hygiene items, school supplies, etc, can be brought here and put in the old quilting room for storage located in the back of the sanctuary. Your gifts will then be put in the blessing box to bless others in our community.

Also, spread the word. Tell your friends and neighbors. Maybe they would have interest in contributing items as their way of blessing others in response to the ways in which they have been blessed.