In the spirit of holiday giving, Church of the Apostles United Church of Christ (UCC) collected and delivered 60 Christmas gifts for the children of Martin Elementary School. Congregation members signed up to shop for a child, and on Dec. 17, the lobby was filled with wrapped presents.

The effort reached its peak when the gifts were delivered to students at Martin Elementary School. This initiative is part of Church of the Apostles' nearly 20-year tradition of blessing children in keeping with the core values of compassion and community service. The Christmas gift collection also reflects the church's newly reformed vision and mission: "God's love guides us to include people as they are, serve compassionately, and champion social and environmental justice."

Church of the Apostles UCC is located at 1850 Marietta Avenue, and it holds a worship service on Sundays at 10 a.m. For more information, visit http://www.apostlesucc.org or email office@apostlesucc.org.