The Church School Mission Offering is an annual program of the Episcopal Church in which children have the opportunity to learn about the Church's call to mission and how it is lived out. Each year CSMO focuses on a part of the world where the congregations in the Anglican Communion are taking the Gospel out into the world.
By participating in CSMO children learn about the culture and traditions of a particular region, the history of the Church's ministry there and the difficulties facing Christians in that place. Through stories written by and for children, they are challenged to think about their own culture, the Church's place in it, and the fact that they too are called to serve as Christ's missionaries in the world.
Make a gift Box:
You will need:
1. An empty 1/2 pint milk carton
2. Glue or tape
3. Crayons, Markers and scissors
4. Colored paper, Treasure box panels
The money offering that is part of CSMO gives a specific focus to the gift offered and provides genuine help to the Anglican Church in the featured country or region. Episcopal Relief and Development, http://www.er-d.org/, process the funds that are collected, and offered to the church.
We teach the children, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:21). By treasure we mean time and effort, as well as money. No amount of effort or energy on the part of the teacher or parent can match the power of children seeing their parents show what they believe in deed as well as in word.
Why not associate the CSMO Treasure Box with the treasure of God's word in Scripture by putting in a money offering as you end the Scripture reading for each story. You can think of each offering as a family act of thanksgiving, giving thanks for our many blessings and especially for the treasure of our life in Christ.
Your involvement in the CSMO project may be an opportunity to increase your family's prayer life, and mission life.
