The coat drive is a tangible expression of what it means to be “Returning with Jesus to the goodness of the Garden.” In the Garden, God gave humanity the purpose to AVAD—to serve—and SHAMAR—to keep, protect, and care for His creation. When members of our congregation donate coats for people in need, we are living out that created purpose by serving our neighbors and caring for their well-being. We also see this as following Jesus as our Rabbi, Savior, and King. Jesus teaches us to love God and love our neighbors, and through Him we learn to bring God’s character into the world. A warm coat may seem like a simple gift, but it communicates something profound: you are seen, you are valued, you are cared for, and you are not alone. This is also TOV—goodness. God’s goodness is life-giving and fruitful, and we are called to bear that same character into the world so that others can experience and share in that goodness. Through the generosity of our congregation, something as practical as a coat becomes an opportunity to bring warmth, dignity, compassion, and hope to someone else. In short, the coat drive is not simply about providing clothing. It is about becoming the kind of people God created us to be—people who serve, protect, care, and bear His goodness into a broken world. It is one small but meaningful way we join Jesus in making our community more like the Garden God intended.
