08 Dec Christmas Shoeboxes and the Pastor’s New Clothes

Judy Fortner, Pastor Greg Voight, and all the shoeboxes.

L-r: Pastor Greg Voight with Joe Crawford and John Fortner and the loaded SUV.

Lancaster UB pastor Greg Voight will be wearing his Sunday best, at least during December.

In October, the local WMF president, Judy Fortner, decided to make Operation Christmas Child a high priority. She challenged the congregation to donate 75 shoeboxes for the Franklin Graham organization, Samaritan’s Purse.

Not to be outdone, Pastor Greg Voight opened up his rather considerable mouth and challenged the congregation to double it…150 boxes. In fact, he made a friendly bet with the congregation that if they could do 150 boxes, he would wear a suit and tie every Sunday in December.  If the congregation fell short, they would have to sit up front for the whole month.

Shoeboxes began to pour in. The eventual Grand Total: 185 boxes for kids around the world (including enough postage in a special offering to cover all the shipping). As a result, Pastor Greg got his best duds ready and God is reaching around the world through one local church.

“Our people really rallied around the challenge of putting their faith into action in a real and tangible way,” says Pastor Voight. “As so often happens with God, we have been blessed far more than the blessing we’re sending. It started a renewal and a sense of joy and purpose that is amazing. Praise God!”