Angel Tree

Angel Tree, a ministry of Prison Fellowship (FP), provides Christmas gifts for the children of prisoners. Using information provided by a prisoner-parent, volunteers contact the child's caregiver (the at-home parent or guardian), who tells the volunteer what the child wants for Christmas.

At Liberty Grove UMC, volunteers select a child or family to sponsor, and handle the entire process from calling the caregiver to determine appropriate gifts, shopping and wrapping, to finally delivering the gifts and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Each child receives a gift of clothing and a fun gift, each valued at approximately $20 and age appropriate gospel material.

LGUMC has recently expanded the Angel Tree program to include Easter Baskets and sponsored 4 children to attend Christian summer camp.
Angel Tree is a wonderful way to express Christ's love. It may help open hearts to receive the most important Gift, the one God gave to provide us with salvation and forgiveness of sins. What makes this program so effective is that it reaches key people in the child's life.

Angel Tree is usually the first contact Prison Fellowship has with a prisoner and can open the door to reach that prisoner with deeper Christian involvement such as a bible study or Marriage Seminar, which can help the prisoner make life changes that will help him or her avoid returning to prison.
Angel Tree helps to take some of the economic pressure off the caregiver, often the remaining parent who is now effectively a single parent, or a grandparent, who is trying to provide for these children without the economic contribution of the prisoner parent. It often means a great deal to a person dealing with the shame of a relative in prison to know that strangers care and are willing to help them in their difficult situation.
And of course, Angel Tree helps the child, beyond the material gifts. Children of prisoners are far more likely to end up in prison themselves and Angel Tree seeks to break that cycle. The presents are given on behalf of the prisoner parent and are often a first step in beginning to heal an often strained relationship. Second, the children receives age-appropriate Christian material along with the presents to help them develop and build a relationship with God.

Consider joining this ministry! It will be a blessing to others and to yourself.

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