• Tell people what needs to happen-not how to do it.  Lots of people used lots of different methods to make this happen.  Some set up donation points at their places of business.  Others collected great used coats from friends.  Some purchased a coat or two each time they went to the big box store.  Others who could, bought dozens of coats themselves. Everyone who contributed did so in a different way.   If we would have had “ONE PLAN” instead of  one GOAL…we probably would have failed.
• You can’t over-communicate a goal.  We publicised our goal of donating 500 coats in every way we could possibly think of.   (Thanks Josiah for the artwork-we are blessed to have some of his talent directing our efforts)  We talked about it.  Blogged about it.  Showed pictures of the coats coming in.  (Thanks Garrett-big time).  There were posters on the walls, graphics on the screens, and cards in your hands.  We wanted EVERYONE who came in contact with actionchurch to know what we were attempting.
• You don’t need to lie or “over-hype” to get people to respond.  We told folks that kids were cold…not that “dozens of cute little boys and girls with giant waif eyes will die if you don’t bring a coat this week”    We also let people know that this was a big goal…it was scary…and we were NOT “sure of success”.  People responded anyway.
• Faith is about taking action when it DOESN”T seem like you will  (or should) succeed.  Thank you all for helping to build my faith through this whole deal.  The LAST THING that it seemed like should happen, would be to take on a major effort for our community right now.  It seemed like that instead we should play it safe (which is never safe-btw) and prepare financially for equipment and moving expenses for the future.  Quite frankly it seemed “impossible” to meet the need of “500 coats for Christmas” anyway.   I’m NOT saying this to point out my great faith…quite the opposite…I had so many doubts about this whole thing…but I felt that it was the RIGHT thing to do, so we proceeded anyway.  I pray I NEVER forget the lessons learned from “the time we gave 500 coats for Christmas”

…so what have you learned?

Just wanted to make it official.  Today at actionchurch 63 coats were donated, so that means we officially crossed the 500 Coats for Christmas milestone.  Thanks so much to EVERYONE who focused their generosity on the needs of  York City elementary school students!   I love being part of a church that “gets” what it means to give generously…anonymously…no strings attached!  

Look for a few more thoughts about the drive…and a full Sunday update here tomorrow…but I just wanted to thank all of you who made this unbelievable thing happen!

It’s hard to believe but just one month ago we all started on this incredible journey to gather 500 coats for Christmas. I thought it was time for another update so lets recap:

November 4th, 2009. -  0 COATS…None…Nada…Zilche

December 4th, 2009 -   342 COATS DONATED!

Yeah, that’s amazing.  Thank you all for you generosity…and let’s not let up even one little bit.  Bring a coat Sunday so we can go past the 400 coat mark with two weeks to go in our drive.  As hard as may have been to imagine one month ago, over the next three weeks we can surpass our goal to “turn cold kids into warm kids” in York City elementary schools!

2 more things-

We still have approx 15 coats on the $7 black Friday rack not spoken for.   If you can’t bring a coat-bring seven bucks.  There’s no easier way to provide a kid warmth this winter.

We’ll be announcing Sunday that as a church we are purchasing (on order )  500 pairs of gloves and knit hats to go along with the coats.  I am so thankful to be part of a church that when it comes to helping others…always give MORE than is expected.

See ya Sunday!

Think you missed out on the black Friday $7 children’s coat deal @ walmart?   Thanks to Steve and Mary Grow we’re bringing the deal to you on Sunday!   They just returned victorious from their black Friday “hunt” this morning and now my basement is filled with 88 coats for the kids of York City Elementary Schools.  

 The Grows “extreme shopping  turned a $300 donation we had received (Thanks Dave W!) for coats into 43 coats which we will be turning in today.  We will be bringing the remaining 40+ coats Sunday for generous actionchurch folks to purchase and donate.

Think of it…Black Friday deals on Sunday morning…without the long lines…while you eat a donut and listen to Farewell Flight.   What will we think of next

It’s been a couple of weeks since we kicked off our effort to gather 500 coats for york city elementary students who desperately need them.   The ironic thing is that I remember when we first heard about the need thinking, “wow, what if they need 100 coats…how could we ever give that many?”  When I learned that they need 500 for the five elementary students…I think I blacked out for a little bit  

Check this though:   FORTY ONE (41) coats were donated this Sunday alone!  Next Sunday we will definitely take that number over 100!  (We have 66 coats so far.)   I thought that gathering 100 coats was an enormous “ask”…a herculean task…but we will be blowing past that in week 3 of our efforts!    I am so thankful that this challenge was TOO BIG for us as a church.  I am glad that I see it both  stretching our FAITH and engaging our creativity.  It’s exciting to hear the stories about how you all are spreading the word and making this seemingly “impossible” thing happen.  

****We have a new business drop off point. **** 

  MyFavorite Deli

3397 North George Street,

 Emigsville, PA – 717-764-4461  

 You can check out all our business drop off partners (here).  Thank you all!!!

Take Tags:  Thank you everyone who took an “I want to provide a coat” tag on Sunday.  This Sunday we will have coat racks with more tags on them for those of you who were unable to get some.  Also, consider taking some tags to “share” with others at friends, families, and co-workers.  This ain’t selling girl scout cookies    (although I REALLY love girl scout cookies).  This is NOT a fundraising event for actionchurch.  This is simply folks putting their faith in action and providing coats for those who do not have them.  I’m the worst “salesman” in the world but I can even feel comfortable asking others to help with that…

Bring Coats:  If you took a tag.  Bring back a new or like new coat. (Thanks SO MUCH for the folks who started bringing coats even before the tags were distributed!)   Walmart currently has great children’s coats for around $13.  Other stores have sales going on with prices that may be even lower.  Consider buying a coat per week…or a coat per pay til christmas. Your generosity could make a big difference in a child of York’s winter this year.   Collect used coats in great condition that may be just taking up closet space after being out grown.  (Just make sure the coat is clean, not torn or damaged, and generally looks great.  We never want to give something to others that we would want to give to our own kidz to wear to school.)

 Business Drop off points:   Right now we have two great business partners with more to come.   Can’t make it to actionchurch on Sunday?  You or your friends can drop off coats at the following locations:

Brooks Huff Tire

95 Sunset Dr
Manchester, PA 17345
717-266-5200

My favorite Deli

The Styling Room

2446 Eastern Blvd
York, PA 17402-2901
(717) 650-2406

Are you part of a business and would like to become a drop off point?  Contact us here-  info@actionchurch.com

Spread the word:  In order to reach our Goal of 500 coat we need to spread the word.  It may be as simple as taking cards to work or emailing the link to this website.  We will also have opportunities for folks to go into our community and spread the word in some creative ways.  We need your help…your ideas.

I announced Sunday that the “smart thing” to do right now as a church would be to get one of those cheesy thermometer graphics on the screens and start raising/saving money for a “Building Fund”. Sometimes the “smart thing” is not the “right thing” when it comes to living a life of faith.  Besides,  we’ve never done the “smart thing” as a church…and we’re not about to start now. 

Here’s what I think we should do instead.   First,  Keep praying and asking God about our next venue. (Not forgetting to thank him for our extended time at Club 19!)   Second,  Focus on OTHERS.

We’ve been asked as a church if we would consider gathering/ purchasing winter coats for kids who do not have them in the York City School district.  When we asked how many coats they could use the answer was 500!  Yeah seriously 500…   I never even imagined that many kids could not have proper winter coats…in York City alone.    It’s a big “ask”…a really big task.  A project that will really stretch us as a church.  Our plan is to take coats to schools each week instead of gathering them all for some sort of big “presentation”.  (It’s getting Cold now…)  This project will definitely be a decision to “do good…not just look good”.  It will be a “no strings attached” moment of generosity for all of us who make up actionchurch.

Here’s what we all can do:

1.   Purchase Children’s Coats when we go to the Big Box Store(s) for “supplies”.  Consider leaving an Item out that we would normally purchase and purchasing a coat instead.  (A child in York can be warm all year for the price of a DVD.)

2.  Check Your Closets we want to give 500 LIKE NEW coats…  Nothing ratty or worn out.  Kids grow fast…so lots of us have perfectly great coats that are just hanging in the closet…too small but “too good to throw away”.   Bring em!

3.  Tell your Friends at work…at school.  We will have tags to Give out for folks take to bring a coat.  Consider leaving them out at your place of business to invite your friends to be part of the action….

4.  Keep your Eyes open for Sales…Deals.   See a super sale on Childrens coats and can’t afford to buy the whole rack?   :-)   let us know… Send us an email.  info@actionchurch  or post it in the comments.  We’ll spread the word.

5.  ?????   There are ways to provide coats for our neighbors in York City that we have not thought of yet.   Speak up…we’d love to hear your ideas!

6.  Show up Sunday…bring coats…get tags…let’s get this thing kicked off.