This Sunday, August 25, is a “Blessing of the Backpacks” Sunday in more ways than one. We’ll pray over the backpacks and book totes of our educators and school-aged kids, as we do each year, calling for the Spirit of peace, safety, and wisdom to reside in our schools. But after worship, we’ll do something additional. We’ll assemble backpacks to distribute as tangible blessings for the immigrant children who live in our community.

Click here for information about UMCOR’s Mustard Seed grants

Galilee recently received a $2,000 grant from UMCOR earmarked specifically for immigrants and migrant families. We’ll use the money for something we call “Project New Life,” which has the aim of supporting education. The name symbolizes our mission of bringing new beginnings to families and children facing adversity. That’s our mission because Jesus brought hope and good news to the poor and the outcast, and so must we.

Members of the New Life Church congregation

In doing this work, we will partner with Pastor Josh Delgado’s New Life Church, a Spanish-speaking congregation that has been meeting on Saturdays in Galilee’s Multi-Purpose Room for about a year now. Our goal is to provide migrant families with school essentials like notebooks, rulers, and other basic supplies along with some snacks and food packed into a new backpack to support their students’ educational success and integration into our community. Pastor Josh has identified the families that will receive these 100 backpacks. It is our faith that the love we invest in these children will pay dividends in their lives and in our shared future.

Join us this Sunday after worship to assist in packing 100 book bags for these deserving children. Just come to the Multi-Purpose Room near the front doors of the church around 11am and you’ll see our volunteers  planting seeds of hope.