The weather is shifting towards warmth—but earlier this winter, temperatures told a very different story. For years, Thiells Garnerville UMC has worked hard to step into the gap and provide mittens, hats, and gloves for people in need.
On December 8, 2024, they set about their task, placing the Mitten Tree on the porch and inviting community members to participate alongside the congregation in collecting mittens for those in need. Less than two weeks later, the mission project was derailed. The tree was stolen, and the thief took both the tree and all the items the community had collected. Rev. Woo Lim Kwak said, “We lost everything.”
Rev. Kwak shared the news with the church via email and posted it on social media. ABC News got wind of the story and came out to interview the church. Community members saw the news and were moved by their loss. Donations started pouring in. Five different individuals donated Christmas trees to replace the one that had been stolen, and the church collected far more winter items than they had ever received in the past.
Normally, the church collects just one bag of mittens and hats and shares it with the nearby Spring Valley UMC Touro Outreach ministry. This year, thanks to community attention and support, they collected more than ten bags of winter items. Thiells Garnerville UMC donated five bags to Catholic Charities in nearby Haverstraw, two to Touro Outreach in Spring Valley, two bags to the Nyack Homeless Outreach, and two bags of coats went to East Ramapo High School.
The church still had more to share, so Rev. Kwak reached out to District Superintendent William Williams III to see where else they
could donate. The blessings rippled outward from Thiells Garnerville, reaching as far as Trinity UMC in Newark and St. Paul’s Centenary UMC in Metuchen.
Rev. Kwak sees the grace and power of God working through this distressing event: “I witness how God works in amazing ways. The apostle Paul says, ‘All things work together for good for those who love God.’ I truly witnessed that.”
Indeed, all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. This story is a powerful reminder of the strength that lies in community and the enduring grace of God. While the theft of the Mitten Tree could have dampened spirits, it instead became a catalyst for even greater acts of kindness and generosity. Through their faith and resilience, the members of Thiells Garnerville UMC witnessed firsthand how God works in mysterious ways, turning adversity into an opportunity to spread love and care. The support they received not only helped those in need locally but also inspired others far beyond their own community. In the end, the story of the Mitten Tree is a testament to the truth that, even in the face of loss, God’s love and grace can bring about greater good.