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I looked around the cafeteria of A. Montoya Elementary at the Christmas Cheer party and was overcome by God’s grace. All around me were the sounds of laughter and chatting and music.

Mountain Christian Church has been providing winter food boxes to families at A. Montoya for eight years. The first year there were nine families that received the food. The effort has grown as the needs have gotten bigger. This year we served 26 families and provided over 3,400 meals.

And with that huge undertaking comes tremendous opportunity to serve and work together.

Last year the Shine Core Team made a conscious decision to turn the winter food box distribution into an opportunity for community – to both work together as a church body and to create an event that invited fellowship to the families we serve. There is a reason we encourage Bible studies and small groups to join together to provide the food for a box – it builds community. We even had a small group from another church want to get involved, and they provided the food for a family.

And we wanted to provide a way to visit with the families receiving the food – and thus the Christmas Cheer party was born. Instead of just a drive-thru to get their food boxes (thank you, Covid), we hosted a party where the families were invited to come and decorate cookies, make an ornament, pick a toy, get their face painted, play some games, eat breakfast, get their picture made in the photo booth, all while a live band played.

And this year it was so beautiful. Over 50 MCC folks showed up to have conversations, play games, engage with the children and let the parents know they are doing a great job. I looked around the room and I saw kids having so much fun they didn’t want to leave. I saw families come dressed in their Christmas finery, because they knew it was a special event. I saw families serving together – as our youth worked hard carrying boxes to cars and men had the opportunity to encourage other dads and let them know, we all go through hard things. I saw A. Montoya staff come in on their weekend because they knew it was such a special event and they wanted to serve.

Through all of it, I saw the Lord glorified through food boxes and smiles and fellowship as we served together. What a blessing to see the body of Christ at work. It couldn’t have been done without the enormous effort of so many and the opportunity God gave to us. I know we were blessed as much as the A. Montoya families.