On December 23, we will be taking up a special collection: the Christmas Fund for the Veterans of the Cross and the Emergency Fund. This fund—ongoing for 110 years—is one of four Special Mission Offerings received annually in the UCC. Your generous gifts enable the Pension Board’s Ministerial Assistance program to provide help to individuals and families in need. This aid may go to a retired pastor, former youth leader, a Christian education director, church secretary, custodian or minister of music. These folks may be retired from their ministerial duties or serving today, but struggling in the difficult economic times. Gifts to the Christmas Fund help provide pension and health premium supplementation to low income retirees, or emergency grants to clergy families in need and Christmas “thank you” gift checks to hundreds of annuitants. These funds are administered by the Pension Boards of the UCC. Please be as generous as your circumstances will allow. Thank You.