Advent Celebrations
God of all learning, God of all knowing,
We bring these backpacks filled with supplies.
Bless all these tools of learning and growing.
Use them, we pray, to change many lives.
Bless all the students, young ones and old ones,
Walking or riding, traveling by bus
May they remember that you go with them,
And that they all are precious to us.
Some kids are poor and some kids are wealthy;
May we give all the tools that they need
May we make sure they’re safe, loved and healthy
So that they all may thrive and succeed.
Bless all who earn and bless those who guide them,
Bless those who teach and counsel and care.
May they remember you walk beside them.
Through all their school days, you, Lord, are there.
-Written by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, 2015
In 2014 we began a Book Bag Project for the neediest children in the North Warren Central School District. Lists of school supplies that are needed at each grade level are obtained from the school. Working with the Food Pantries of Horicon and Chester, the towns within the North Warren School District, we get a list of the children whose families they serve. We don’t ask for names or ages, only gender and grade level. Then we purchase and fill back packs for each of those children. The filled back packs are delivered to the respective Food Pantries in early August for them to distribute. Each back pack is labeled with the grade level.
