News & Announcements

We will again be collecting gifts for seafarers, but because of the pandemic, several things have changed. The Seafarers Center currently has limited volunteers or staff to deliver gifts boxes, the gifts should be placed in one gallon ziplock bags, instead of shoe boxes. This will also make it easier to store gifts for next Christmas if changes in contact restrictions make it impossible to deliver them in a timely manner.

This effort will be even more important this year than usual. Christmas is always a lonely time of year for seafarers who are far from home, but because of pandemic-related restrictions on international travel, many of them have been away from home for longer than usual. And because of concerns about a covid-19 outbreak on board ship when they may be far away from medical treatment, most of them have not been permitted to have shore leave for many months. It is therefore even more important than usual to let them know that their efforts to keep the world economy functioning are appreciated.

Ways provide for those at Sea

• Purchase gifts for seafarers
• Send a cash contribution
• Make a donation online

You can either purchase the items yourself and place them in a one gallon ziplock bags, or make a cash contribution and the Mission Committee will purchase items. In order to be able to practice social distancing to the extent possible, members of the Mission Committee will be filling and assembling the bags, rather than making this a congregational effort as in the past. There will be a bin on the porch of the church house to leave filled bags or items to be placed in bags. If you would prefer to make a cash contribution, either send a check to the church office or make an online donation through the CPC website at https://catonsvillepres.org/support-us/.

Gifts for Seafarers

Items that are welcome include a warm hat, gloves or mittens, socks, toiletries, postcards of Baltimore or Washington scenes, small calendars, or puzzle books such as Sudoku that are suitable for those whose native language isn’t English. The Mission Committee will provide paperback New Testaments. Please no food items. We will be collecting items and donations through November.