Jubilee Christmas
2025 Jubilee Christmas
Saturday December 13th, our congregation will welcome some parents to our church home for a morning of fellowship and support as they anticipate Christmas with their children. Lafayette Urban Ministry (LUM) reports a record high number of parents have registered to participate in Jubilee Christmas this year.
Our response has been to host more families; 22 invitations will be issued. LUM coordinates with other ministry groups like Salvation Army and Christmas for Everyone, sharing information to avoid duplication in participation. Together, these programs aim to serve as many families as possible. This is one of the ways that partnering with LUM makes HTLC Christmas outreach more effective and enduring.
You are Invited to “Jump into Jubilee”
The Holy Trinity Elves invite you to a special fellowship hour after service on November 23rd in the Narthex to launch the 2025 Jubilee Christmas Season. Come enjoy some Christmas cookies and learn how you can help out.
Head for the "Mitten Tree"
You will find a tree decorated with tags providing a child's specific information to take shopping for a new outfit, underwear and socks. We've learned that young folks 9 to 12 like to pick their own clothes so $20 Walmart gift card tags are hanging on the tree for them. Instructions will be posted by the tree, but the steps are:
- Select a tag and find that child's name on the sign-up sheet. Jot down your name and phone number next to his/her name.
- Take the tag with the age, sizes and favorite color to select items requested. If you are picking up a gift card, please keep the tag with you to identify the child who will receive it.
- After purchasing the gift, bring it to church along with the tag.
- Clothing items need not be gift wrapped, the store packaging is fine but remember to tie the mitten tag to the bag and place it in the box by Frosty.
- Gift cards can be handed to Judy Lokke or Cheryl Schrier (along with the mitten tag).
- Donation drop offs are needed by December 7th (or earlier).
Check Out the Laundry Basket Display
If you aren't a department store type, you can hit the grocery store and find cleaning supply items that we stock in a "laundry basket" that each family receives. When you survey the display and invitation to participate, you will find need for these items:
- Pump hand soap
- Liquid dish soap
- Multipurpose spray cleaner
- Bar soap
- Disinfecting wipes
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrushes
Drop these items in the Laundry Basket by December 7th or earlier.
Rather Make a Donation?
We always appreciate monetary contributions that offset the cost of purchasing supplies like tape, wrapping paper, stamps and food vouchers that LUM buys at a discount for sites sponsoring Jubilee. You can mark "Jubilee Christmas" on your giving envelope or use Vanco to contribute.
Volunteer to Help at Jubilee!
Many people are needed to prepare for, greet, escort, carry things, and clean up. You can see the list of HTLC volunteer jobs on the bulletin board in the narthex. There are also many spots open for volunteers that afternoon at Oakland High School where Jubilee 2 and Jubilee 3 will be hosted. To volunteer to help at Oakland High School, visit the Lafayette Urban Ministry Jubilee volunteer webpage.
Donate Homemade Christmas Cookies
Drop off a dozen or two of your favorite holiday cookies for Jubilee Christmas. Mark them "Jubilee" and put them in the freezer compartment of the lounge refrigerator.
Got a Wagon We Could Borrow?
Sine the "Jubilee Express" is a walk-through visit to a village of shops, our guests pick up bundles along the way. We use wagons to transport bags, clothes and other items through the church and out to the guest's car. Let Sue Davis know if you have a wagon we could use December 13th.
About Jubilee Christmas
Every December, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church participates in Jubilee Christmas. We give wrapped gifts to families in need.
Jubilee Christmas is a partnership between local churches and Lafayette Urban Ministry (LUM), an interfaith social service agency that has served the most vulnerable in Lafayette for over 50 years.
We host 20 low-income families for a morning of joy and community that will give our invited guests the opportunity to shop for gifts for their children and to receive gifts of clothing, food certificates, household supplies, and a hand-made quilt from our own HTLC quilters!
Parents Are the Heroes
Originally, LUM purchased and delivered toys to needy families at Christmas. Then one Jubilee, a mom came into LUM to thank them and said, “I just hope someday I can be the Christmas hero to my kids.” After that, Jubilee Christmas became an event where the Parents can be the heroes.
Jubilee Christmas is all about making low-income parents the heroes of Christmas for their children. Instead of church members taking gifts to homes, the parents will be able to select and wrap gifts and place them under the tree on Christmas morning for their children. We also will provide them with the means to cook a special Christmas dinner.
How Jubilee Works
LUM screens, registers, and selects a group of parents for each church to host. To make sure that as many families as possible have a chance to participate in a holiday program, leaders from organizations share information and guest lists.
