Christmas in September 2025

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Before uploading your photo, consider editing it to add some Christmas cheer! Free online options include: Adobe and Canva. Both options provide Christmas card templates that you can customize to easily add your own photos and graphics. You may also consider uploading the digital version of your family’s printed Christmas card.

There are many great men and women in Scripture whose faith we strive to emulate. Whether it is Abraham and his resolute faith in the promises of God, or Paul and his tireless labors for those who had not heard the gospel, we hold these notable heroes of the faith as examples and desire to imitate their devotion to God. Alongside these giants of the faith, there are more minor characters in Scripture who appear only briefly in the biblical narrative, but whose impact was profound and whose faithfulness is exemplary—particularly as it comes to the all-important work of missions.

Epaphroditus is one such unsung hero. When we meet him in Philippians, ten years had passed since Paul founded the church in Philippi. During that time, Paul moved around the world on various missionary journeys, and while the Philippian church’s care and prayers for him never waned, Philippians 4:10 mentions that, at one point, they lacked the opportunity to directly communicate or show their devotion to him.

However, in God’s perfect timing, when the church at Philippi finally realized Paul’s location and his trials in the Roman jail, they sent a messenger to express their unconditional support and provide a sacrificial financial gift to Paul. Epaphroditus was selected to fulfill this urgent mission.

The journey before Epaphroditus was arduous and perilous, requiring over 800 miles of travel. It is certain Epaphroditus counted the cost but knew the life-changing impact that this refreshment and edification would bring to Paul in this challenging season. In the end, Paul was incredibly grateful Epaphroditus made the trip and praised him as a fellow worker and soldier. He reminded the Philippians to, “Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to fulfill what was lacking in your service to me” (Philippians 2:29–30). Epaphroditus was a living example of the bond of unity that God creates between a church and the missionaries they faithfully support.

Here at Grace Church, and like the church in Philippi, we strive to support our missionaries in their sacrificial work for the sake of the gospel. We have long been committed to this, with the hope of glorifying Christ and making disciples of all the nations. And we can only do this because of your individual prayers and support through efforts such as Christmas in September—our annual campaign to encourage our missionaries who are far from home during the Christmas season.

Christmas in September is an opportunity to be like Epaphroditus: a fellow laborer in bringing the gospel to another country through sacrificial love. While many of us are not called to undertake the same perilous journey as Epaphroditus, we can still sacrifice our time and effort to be an encouragement to those laboring among the lost. Your prayers and support are an eternal investment and enable you to play an active role in our missionaries’ efforts. Whether this is your first step in supporting the work of missions, or a way to further your continued support, now is a perfect time to get involved.

Visit the Patio table on any Sunday morning September 7–October 5 for information about how to send a digital card or financial gift, instructions on sending a card to our classified missionaries, or to handwrite a card for our missionaries. To send a digital card, visit gracechurch.org/sendacard.