What’s Happening @ The Shop This Christmas?!

Nikki O’Sullivan | Director of Operations

This summer we rebranded and launched our VantagePoint Church retail outlet, The Shop. The project was a new and fun experience and provided me with something substantial to sink my teeth into as I navigated the release of my role as the Children’s Director and embraced my new journey as the Director of Operations. As the Children’s Director, my purpose in ministry was clearly defined and apparent: to provide a distraction free hour for parents to hear a message where they could learn how to become better spouses, parents and members of our community while simultaneously providing children with a fun and engaging experience that would help them develop an authentic relationship with Christ. So meaningful, right? So as the Director of Operations, how was I going to weave ministry and purpose into something like stocking a retail outlet in a church?

I have always embraced the belief that we can incorporate the will of Jesus in everything we do, and that God breathes opportunity into every conversation we have. The day The Shop opened something incredible happened, The Shop became a vibrant place where people naturally gravitated. I observed conversations and relationships developing between the team members serving at the register and our church body purchasing the products. New introductions were being made and people who were previously unknown were becoming seen.

Our very first collaboration was with our Local Outreach ministry when The Shop offered a BOGO bundle: buy a pencil case with a VantagePoint pencil and we will donate a backpack to our local Title 1 school. In just one day we sold enough pencil pouches to donate 125 quality backpacks to Vandermolen elementary! Collaborations that followed were with the Young Adults ministry providing discipleship bundles, with Mantle coffee who donates a generous portion of their profits to our local outreach efforts, and our latest initiative partnering with Global Outreach during our Christmas Marketplace at VantagePoint taking place each Sunday in December leading up to Christmas. Visit The Shop in the upcoming weeks to learn more about these global partners and to purchase their products (they make amazing Christmas gifts!):

• Know Indo (knowindo.com): The Shop will feature products from their collection such as candles, bags, blankets, and more. Why this is close to home: The representative for Know Indo is an active member of our church!

• Farm to Cup Tea (see insert): A wide assortment of loose-leaf teas will be available for purchase. Like-minded: This organization supports the unreached people group in Southeast Asia that we are working to adopt as a church.

• Marriage 365 (marriage365.org/our-mission): we will be featuring the book 365 Connecting Questions for Families. The book offers one question a day to ask your children that will get them talking, tips to draw out a shy child, bonus questions for blended families, and a Parents’ Guide with tons of tips to get your kids feeling safe to share.

• Everyone’s Invited to Christmas, a children’s book telling the story of an unreached racoon deep in the forest who mysteriously receives an invitation to a birthday party for Jesus. I dare you to read this book to your kids without getting choked up!

More new products that you will find this season in The Shop include:

• Our 2019 VantagePoint Christmas Ornament with a unique design that includes the blueprint for our new worship center. We ordered a very limited quantity of just 100 ornaments, you won’t want to miss out on getting yours!

• One Line A Day: A Five Year Prayer Journal. We ask God to intercede in our life, but we often forgot to acknowledge or take note when He does. This five year journal is an incredible way to be intentional in your prayer life, and highlight how God provides for our needs and desires of our heart.

• The Defend Your Faith Apologetics Bible is latest addition to our resources for youth. This bible is geared towards our preteen through high school aged students which includes commentary for them to learn how to engage in conversation with their peers. It comes in a beautiful walnut or purple leather binding.

• The Christmas Story is an adorable board book about the very first Christmas. Perfect for little ones with colorful illustrations and sturdy board book pages, this simply retold story teaches children why we celebrate Christmas.

We can’t wait to see you at The Shop this season! The Shop is a non-profit retail outlet whose proceeds are given to our Local Outreach ministry to aide in their efforts of serving our community.

Sincerely,

Nikki O’Sullivan

Director of Operations, VantagePoint Church