The community is again sharing the love of Jesus and will celebrate his birthday by reaching out to others with a gift at Christmas time.

More than 1,000 children are in need and we believe that Matthew 25:40 teaches that we are to help the “least of these.” Those 1,000 children’s names have already been chosen. Please consider being a part of this year’s Christmas project by:

• praying for these folks in need

• buying gifts for them (beginning Nov. 5)

• helping to wrap gifts at Family Central (Dec. 3-8) as an individual or a group

• giving money to buy needed items.

A call to the Ashe Baptist Association will answer all your questions and sign you up to help.

In addition to the call for our Ashe County churches and organizations to send volunteers to sort and wrap Christmas presents for our children this year, we also can use help providing snacks and drinks for all volunteers. If your group is unable to help with physical labor, perhaps some will be able to bring refreshments during one day of the project (Dec. 3-8).

This generous contribution would be for approximately 20 to 25 people. We would need you to bring the refreshments to the cafeteria at Family Central around mid-morning.

We are doing a New Book Drive for all ages. Drop off centers are: McDonald’s West Jefferson, Ashe Mountain Times, Ashe County Library, West Jefferson Untied Methodist Church, Jefferson United Methodist Church, Grassy Creek United Methodist Church, and Ashe County Partnership For Children.

For more information, call Rev. David Blackburn, director of missions for the Ashe Baptist Association at 846-5631, or Rev. Owen Peeler, pastor of Bethany United Methodist Church, at 877-2801.