Our church has hosted an Alternative Christmas Market annually since 2007, with the dual goals of (1) providing an opportunity for members of our congregation to meet with representatives of participating mission agencies and (2) raising additional financial support for those agencies through our members’ designated giving. 

What is an Alternative Christmas Market? It is a marketplace where people can shop for “virtual gifts” as an alternative to traditional Christmas gifts.   What are these gifts? They are the services provided by participating agencies to people in need that are made possible by market-goers’ donations to these agencies in honor of their loved ones. SIUMC’s Alternative Christmas Market is a marketplace where people can “enjoy a special kind of Christmas shopping and discover the joy of giving gifts that spread the good news of Jesus’ birth in a hungry and hurting world.”

Since 2007, SIUMC’s Alternative Christmas Market has raised over $63,000 in support of local and international missions agencies.   

The 2011 Alternative Christmas Market will take place Sunday, November 20, in Bailey Hall, immediately following the 9:30am Worship Service. About a month before the market, shopping lists and check-out forms will be available, both in paper form and here, so members of our congregation can plan their giving. Shoppers will be able to make their purchases at the market or by returning their check-out forms and check (payable to SIUMC) to the church office until Tuesday, December 20. 100% of the market’s gross proceeds will be disbursed to participating agencies in accordance with members’ designations.

2011 Shopping List

2011 Check-out Form