At Argonauta Christian School, we teach children that even though it is fine to receive, we must learn to give to those in need; therefore, we have several mission projects that we involve the children in every year:

THANKSGIVING BASKETS – Faith Fellowship always knows of families who are in need of food at Thanksgiving time and fill baskets to take to those families. As we approach Thanksgiving, we begin to ask that the children bring in cans or boxes of food that they are able to take to the church for our Thanksgiving chapel. The teachers and pastor explain to them about why we are doing this deed, and it helps them to understand when they actually see all the food that has been donated. It also makes them feel special when they place their food gifts on the altar.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD – Samaritan’s Purse is a non-denominational Christian organization that reaches desperately hurting people in countries around the world by helping to supply them with food, medicine, and other assistance all in the Name of Jesus Christ. One of their outreaches is Operation Christmas Child. Shoeboxes are filled with items for children and then taken to drop-off stations to be inspected and eventually shipped overseas, so that they can be distributed to children who would otherwise not receive anything for Christmas. We ask that families go shopping together and let their children help select items that they want to send to someone their age. Once our shoeboxes are filled, we have the students help take them to the church where the pastor says a blessing over them before they are taken to the drop-off location.

TRIKE-A-THON – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, located in Memphis, Tennessee, is a hospital that has a “sole purpose of conducting basic and clinical research and treatment into catastrophic childhood diseases, mainly cancer.” It is “the only National Cancer Institute-funded cancer center devoted solely to children.” Once a year, we devote part of our morning to having a trike-a-thon/bike-a-thon to help raise money to support the research for pediatric cancers.

MANNA – This is a ministry of Faith Fellowship and was inspired by Acts Chapter 2 that teaches us that there should be no one in need when we are part of a community. Not only is Manna a food program, but it also meets needs of clothing and furniture and helps with manual labor. This ministry not only reaches into the Faith Fellowship community, but it also reaches out into the community of St. Petersburg by enabling anyone to purchase groceries through their food coop access and by making monthly visits to work at two different homeless shelters. Our school families have access to the Manna ministry of the church, and from time to time we ask for donations to help supply the food closets.