The Kids Free Christmas Shop open for business at Ark UMC in North Sioux City. Photos by Rev. Pat Mersch.

For several years, ARK United Methodist Church in North Sioux City, South Dakota, and Velva United Methodist Church in North Dakota have been significantly impacting their communities by setting up a shop where children can purchase gifts for their family members at Christmas.

On the first Saturday in December, Kids Free Christmas Shopping is open. The ARK becomes a store filled with items for children through adults. Families bring their children, kindergarten through grade six, the children make a list of gifts they need. An adult guides them through the store to select gifts for the people on their list. 

“It is such a joy to see the faces of the children as the shop and the delight in the volunteers that are helping,” said Rev. Pat Mersch, retired elder serving ARK (which stands for Acts of Random Kindness.)

Parents, grandparents, or adults wait in the sanctuary while the kids shop. There are sub sandwiches and items for them to look over.

“There are several tables of items that we feel families would need, like sets of dishes, sheets, and pillows. They just go crazy because they see all the bikes. We acquire bikes for children through adults throughout the year and make them available, on this day, to the families,” shares Pastor Pat. 

 When the children are done shopping, they go to one of the six wrapping stations, where their gifts are wrapped, labeled, and placed in a bag. Then, one of the oldest members of the congregation greets them with a gift bag.

“Arlene, who is 94, gives them a bag of goodies—candy, cookies, character toys, light up necklaces, headbands —and sends them to meet their parents,” explains Pastor Pat. “A family of ten came this year. We have different families that come each year.”

All the items are donated. They are collected throughout the year. Pastor Pat describes a big push for donations beginning in August. 

“We collect things throughout the year. People throughout the community know that we do this, and they bring donations,” she said. 

Bikes available at Kids Free Christmas Shop at the Ark UMC.

ARK UMC sends a flier or notice home in the weekend food backpacks that go home with elementary children in the Dakota Valley School District to let families know when the shopping event is happening. Those 45 families plus a few more are invited to come shopping. 

“We supply food for the backpacks each month. We have fliers we put in the backpacks to inform them of the free shopping. We also put posters around, and of course, word of mouth helps to let people know. This year, we worked with some of the disaster relief groups to reach families affected by the flooding in June,” Pastor Pat said. “We have 15 active members. I really encourage them to tell people. This is our witness of Jesus loving our neighbors.”

At the opposite end of the Dakotas, eighty-five children recently showed up at the United Methodist Church in Velva, North Dakota, to shop for gifts. Adults brought the children to the sanctuary. The children made out their lists of people they would shop for. Elves (or adult volunteers dressed as elves) brought the children downstairs to shop.

Similarly, at  Velva UMC, all the gifts are donated by local businesses. There is a small charge for each of the items.  Watch a video of the Elf Project in past years.

“We mark a price on each item, but if a child goes to check out, and the money they have does not match the price, nothing is said. We just accept what they have,” said Kendra Larson, lay chairperson at Velva UMC. 

Five wrapping stations are set up. Children bring their gifts to a station to have gifts wrapped and gift tags placed on each gift. 

“I work at a wrapping station,” shares Kendra. “It is so fun to see what they have selected. Sometimes, a dad gets jewelry, and a mom gets a hammer. Watching the kids and seeing the excitement in their eyes is fun!”

The Elf Project is part of a larger community celebration. On the first Saturday in December, several community events are held, including an arts and crafts fair, open houses at local businesses, and photos with Santa. 

“We have been doing the Elf Project for several years. The community knows about it and counts on it. We look forward to serving our community in this way and seeing the kids,” said Kendra.