To encourage support for The Penny Project and to mark the end of daylight saving time, University Baptist Church (UBC) in College Park, Md., is dedicating November 1 as “Change-Your-Clocks and Bring-Your-Change-to-Church” Sunday. The idea grew out of discussions among the children and youth leading University Baptist’s Penny Project.

“Our children and youth have been very enthusiastic in their efforts,” says the Rev. John Burns, UBC pastor. “As a result our Penny Project collection is growing week by week. ‘Change-Your-Clocks and Bring-Your-Change-to-Church Sunday’ creatively connects this effort with something our members are already doing. We’re hopeful it will serve to remind and encourage members to give to The Penny Project.”

A special service is planned for November 1. Worshippers will have an opportunity to bring their Penny Project offerings forward, and the children and youth will participate in the dedication of all that has been received thus far. The service also seeks to raise awareness of the extent of child poverty in the community as well as throughout the United States.

University Baptist, a DC Baptist Convention church, has set a goal of 163,000 pennies, representative of the number of children in poverty in the state of Maryland. A portion of the monies received will be used to support the church’s partnership with nearby Buck Lodge Middle School by providing low-income students with school supplies, school uniforms and other necessities to help them succeed.

Additional monies received through The Penny Project will be used to support other local anti-poverty efforts, which the children and youth are currently exploring.

In a recent sermon, Burns encouraged his congregation to consider how great and positive an impact we can have on those around us, even though our resources and efforts may seem small. “If I bring a penny, and you bring a penny, and all God’s children bring a penny, together we can accomplish what we cannot achieve alone—making a positive change in the lives of children impacted by poverty.”

University Baptist Church invites other congregations participating in The Penny Project to join them in dedicating Sunday, November 1, in their own congregations as “Change-Your-Clocks and Bring-Your-Change-to-Church Sunday.” For more information about The Penny Project along with resources to assist your efforts, visit 14millionpennies.org.

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