Dear Friends,
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here. We’ve been enjoying some festive decorations, all kinds of holiday treats, and special chapel services filled with Christmas music and carol singing. Soon we’ll have our toy giveaway where men will select and wrap over a thousand gifts for their kids and grandkids. After that it won’t be long before we share all sorts of presents with our residents at a special Christmas chapel. All the while, I have Anne Murray on standby to belt out “Joy to the World” and “O Come, All Ye Faithful” whenever it’s my turn to ask Alexa to play something (if you haven’t heard her version of them, you should give a listen!).
All these festivities don’t make the hard things go away, of course. But they remind us in the midst of the darkness just how stunning the Light of the World is. Jesus, our Emmanuel, comes near! His light dispels darkness. And in that light, we see hope and a way forward. That’s what I love about life at the Mission. It doesn’t matter how dark it seems. The darkness can’t swallow up the light. The news the angels brought to the shepherds a couple thousand years ago is the same good news we rejoice in today – news of great joy for all people. It’s news of a Savior, Christ the Lord, who comes to make peace.
Your support helps us shine the light of Jesus in ways that illuminate the path forward for men who come to the Mission looking for help and yearning for peace. Thank you for partnering with us. As we approach the end of 2022, consider perhaps making a special one-time gift to the Mission. Below are some options – each one a practical way to help dispel darkness and shine light on the path forward for a man at the Mission in a life-changing and even life-saving way. This change goes on to affect not just that one man’s life, but the lives and futures of so many others including his family and children. Perhaps one of these options might resonate with you in this season. Here are several great ways you can help:
- Consider a generous year-end gift of cash as an investment in transformational life-change.
- Instead of giving gifts to each other at the holidays, some families bless our men by pooling their money and giving a special Christmas gift to the Mission from their whole family (individual receipts for each donor can still be given).
- If God has especially blessed you this past year, please consider sending a larger-than-usual gift to the Mission. Large gifts take big bites out of our budgeted expenses. They also strengthen and expand our compassionate services to our men.
- Give a gift of appreciated stock – this is a great help to us and may provide you with excellent tax benefits, especially if you transfer the stock directly to the Mission without selling it first. Please consult with your financial advisor to confirm these tax benefits. To arrange for an easy electronic transfer of stock, please call me at (215) 438-3094 x 103.
- If you have a donor-advised fund, you can recommend that a grant be made to the Whosoever Gospel Mission. Your grant will bless our men in many ways.
- You can make up to a $100,000 Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) to the Mission instead of taking your required minimum distribution (RMD). Your distribution must be sent by your IRA custodian directly to the Mission. The effect in most situations is both an income tax savings and an increased gift. Please consult with your financial advisor.
- Save postage and time – you can go to whosoevergospel.org/donate to make a secure online gift. You can also set up a monthly recurring donation for 2023.
- When you shop online at Amazon.com, make your online purchases through AmazonSmile which is run by Amazon.com as a unique way to support charities. You will get the same service, same merchandise, and the same prices. Register with AmazonSmile and designate the Whosoever Gospel Mission to receive a percentage of all the eligible purchases you make on AmazonSmile. You can search for the Mission on AmazonSmile, or you can type in the following address: http://smile.amazon.com/ch/23-1352579. You won’t pay any more for your purchases, but you will be helping the Whosoever Gospel Mission.
- Make a gift to the Mission through PayPal Giving Fund. Search “Donate with PayPal Giving Fund” or go to PayPal Giving Fund’s website: www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/hub and search “Whosoever Gospel Mission.” We get the full value of your donation – PayPal doesn’t charge us any fees.
Thank you for being part of the light that shines with us into the darkness, illuminating the way forward in the path of peace. May the grace and peace of Jesus fill your heart and home this Christmas and always. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Grace and peace,
Heather L. Rice, D.Min.
Executive Director
