Pr. Heidi Torgerson-Martinez served her first call as an ELCA missionary working with community organizations in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Find ELCA Good Gifts supporting ELCA Missionary Sponsorship on p. 15 of the new catalog or open the "inspire" box on the online catalog (www.elca.org/goodgifts). Photo by Sarah Rohde.

It’s the Monday after Thanksgiving, the day to order online.
My catalogs are marked and I am feeling fine.
ELCA Good Gifts is at the top of my stack.
Get ready, Santa, to fit good gifts in your pack.

Gifts for Missionary Sponsorship and Fund for Leaders inspire.
Vision for Mission donations help the church never tire.
ELCA World Hunger helps nurture, nourish, and heal.
God’s Global Barnyard delights with quack, moo, and squeal.

Presents for Disaster Response help to be prepared.
Giving to fight malaria and AIDS says “I care.”
Holy Land Schools and the LWF offer peace and hope.
ELCA Good Gifts has the whole world as its scope.

I type in www.elca.org/goodgifts
Turns out ordering online is easy and swift.
I print out gift cards, some serious, some fun.
Just minutes later it seems I’m all done.

I laugh thinking of Dad, expecting a tie,
learning his gift may help build a pig sty.
I love that all the dear ones on my list
Will love receiving an ELCA Good Gift!

Sue Edison-Swift is assistant director for ELCA Global Mission Support.  When sharing this poem later in the month, you may want to change the first line to read “It’s early December, time to order online.”