Gifts with Strings Attached

November 19, 2020

Receiving a generous gift is often much harder than giving. We can feel obligated or humbled, depending on who is doing the giving. It’s a real challenge to daily accept and believe God’s grace as the ultimate loving gift with no strings attached.

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"Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18

The opening of presents can bring mixed emotions. Young children can enjoy the packaging as much – sometimes more than – the actual gift.

Christmas seems to bring out the best and worst in us: sentimentality, generosity and hospitality on the one hand; regrets, memories of lost loved ones and fractured relationships on the other.

As Christians, Advent is all about the anticipation, the wait and the celebration of Jesus, Emmanuel. God with us. It is a time when we give more generously and joyfully – to family, friends and those in need. Children can show us how to simply enjoy life in a refreshing and innocent way unburdened by uncertainty and worry. We learn these things as we make our way in the world.

Receiving a generous gift is often much harder than giving. We can feel obligated or humbled, depending on who is doing the giving. It’s a real challenge to daily accept and believe God’s grace as the ultimate loving gift with no strings attached.

As we all continue to live with the reality of Covid19, Christmas 2020 brings a new understanding of knowing Jesus as the Light of the World. Our hope, salvation, rescuer and redeemer. It takes faith to believe it.

Whether we have experienced sickness, bereavement, unemployment or celebrated marriage, birth or a new opportunity this year, the global pandemic has made us acutely aware of our personal and collective vulnerability. People of all faiths and no faith have reflected on the meaning and purpose of our life in earth and the need to connect with others.

SPCK’s charitable programmes: Diffusion, Assemblies and ATNP have continued to meet needs in the UK and in Africa this year:

• Bringing the joy of reading to prisoners across the UK with our prison reading programme
• Giving children the opportunity for spiritual reflection with our assemblies website.
• Sharing the energy of the African church with the whole world, through the ATNP

We have been so encouraged to receive support from new and existing supporters who continue to partner with us. We continue to need the financial support of regular giving that SPCK membership provides.

This Christmas, we are asking you to consider buying a £60 annual SPCK Gift Membership for someone that will help us grow our mission programmes in 2021 and beyond.

Our vision is to see the world transformed by Christian knowledge. SPCK membership is a wonderful gift of hope that helps us achieve that.

SPCK Membership offers:

• Free access to over 600 of our e-books via our SPCK Library app!
• Regular updates on the incredible difference that your subscription has made
• Invitation to our Annual General Meeting
• Invitations to SPCK online events, such as book launches and panel discussions
• A £10 voucher for use on our website to buy books or stationery.

And of course, as a member, you become part of the Christian community here at SPCK.

Anyone buying a Gift Membership by 30 December 2020 will receive a SPCK Free Church Pocket Book and Diary 2021 as a thank you from SPCK.

Find out more about our charity work and how to give one off or regular gifts here 

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