Every year, one of our favorite traditions here at Hoboken Grace is our annual Christmas Exchange and this year marked our 11th year of coming together to love our city and spread joy this Christmas season. 

We sat down with Danielle, our Associate Director of Engagement, to reflect on this year’s event, what it takes to pull it off, and how she’s seen God at work through it all.

### The Impact at a Glance

Our goal every year is to make sure no child in our city goes without a gift at Christmas and to help every family experience the joy of the season.

Our Christmas Exchange is truly a community-wide effort:

*   **580 people donated gifts**



*   **164 volunteers** served throughout the week



*   **Almost 400 families** received gifts



*   **Nearly 1,200 children** were impacted



*   Plus: **20 gallons of hot chocolate**, **600 gift bags**, and **600 bows** to make every detail feel special

### What Goes Into Making It All Happen

While the Christmas Exchange takes place over just a few days, planning begins much earlier. Our Bridge Events team starts preparing in early September, and the process is far more personal than many people might realize.

Every single family application and wishlist is reviewed individually. Each donor receives a specific wishlist for a specific child, so every gift is chosen with that child in mind.

Pulling off something this big takes an incredible amount of teamwork, from donors and volunteers and behind-the-scenes leaders. “We couldn’t do this without so many groups coming together,” Danielle said. “The generosity, the communication, and the helping hands leading up to this day and during the week itself are what make it possible.”

### Behind the Scenes: A Team Effort 

Donor drop-off and pick-up days are full of energy and a lot of attention to detail. Nearly 600 individual gift bags need to be labeled, tracked, and handed to the right families.

“We have organized systems, trained volunteers, and lots of care,” Danielle shared. 

From volunteers verifying gifts, to elves bagging presents, wrapping extra gifts, making bows, serving hot chocolate, greeting families, and carrying heavy bags outside, it truly takes everyone playing a role.

### Seeing God at Work

One of the biggest ways Danielle sees God at work each year is through the generosity of the broader community.

“It’s not just generosity with gifts, but with time,” she said. “So many people want to help in any way they can and it goes far beyond just our Hoboken Grace community. For many people in the city, this has become a staple of their holiday season.”

Some of Danielle’s favorite moments happen during gift pick-up, when families arrive. “When kids see us carrying the bags toward them, their faces just light up. That excitement and surprise never gets old. Being able to witness that joy along with the deep gratitude expressed by families walking through difficult seasons is incredibly meaningful.”

This year marked Danielle’s second time coordinating the event, and she shared how meaningful it’s been to build relationships with families year after year as she learns their stories, offers prayer and comfort, and begins to recognize familiar faces as they return. Those moments, she said, help deepen connection and remind us that this isn’t just an event, but a way to keep our community truly connected.

### A Favorite Moment—and What Comes After

When asked about her favorite part of the Exchange, Danielle admitted it’s hard to choose just one.

“Seeing the space slowly fill up with presents throughout the week is powerful,” she said. “You hear ‘1,000 kids,’ but when you actually see presents for 1,000 kids, it becomes tangible. It’s a physical representation of the generosity of our community.”

And after the final pick-up day? Danielle is filled with awe and gratitude. “So many people come through our space that week. It’s a really cool opportunity to share what we’re doing here even outside of the Christmas Exchange and my prayer is always that some of those people continue to connect with Hoboken Grace and, ultimately, with God. That’s our bigger mission.”

We’re so grateful for Danielle, her team, and every volunteer and donor, who made this year’s Christmas Exchange possible. Together, we were able to bring the joy of Christmas to thousands of children and we can’t wait to see how God continues to work through it in the years to come.

If you're interested in learning more about joining the Bridge Events team, email [danielle.padua@hobokengrace.com](danielle.padua@hobokengrace.com)

Bringing the Joy of Christmas to Our City

Towards the end of last year, I put together a life plan. I had done one before on a smaller scale, but this one was put together with a trained facilitator and over the course of two days, mapping out what I’d like to accomplish and how to get there. It really helped me to gain some incredible insight into my life —where I was going, where God had taken me.

One important part of this plan is called the “replenishment cycle” —it helped me to find the things in my life that not only bring me joy but help to replenish me. Often you can work and work and work and feel drained. The replenishment cycle helps to fill up your proverbial gas tank. These are things that help you feel both renewed and refreshed. For me, that includes going to shows or going for a run. Another thing that helps we called “exploring,” which is basically just that—exploring a new place.

Before I came on board at Hoboken Grace, I traveled extensively with my old job. One of the things I loved about it was going to a place I had never been before. When I arrived, if I didn’t have to go straight to work, I used to love to go to the hotel and check in. Then I’d drop my bags off and explore the neighborhood. I would look for good restaurants, fun stores, maybe even some not-to-miss sights in the area. I loved it and I still love doing that today. Why? Well for one, it’s fun for me to see and experience new things. But the other reason, I believe, is because it helps me to build a relationship with the place I’m getting to know. If I’m going to be there for a few days, I want to get to know it. I want to learn about it. I want to see what it can teach me all the while getting to enjoy it.

It’s a lot like our relationship with God. Before I became a believer, I thought of God as just this Guy-in-the-Sky. Unknowable and always watching. But since walking into this relationship with Him, I realize He’s completely knowable. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, prays that we, “may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” All too often we want to comprehend something without taking the time to experience it. Much like when I was traveling to a new town or place, I was never able to fully appreciate it until I experienced it.

All too often, we want to comprehend the inner workings of something before we experience it. Yet, when we meet someone during our day, we begin immediately engaging them in conversation, even though we don’t know the intricacies of their motivations. We begin finding these things out when we get to know the individual better, but only after a relationship has started. In the same way, we must explore and engage God relationally before we can truly begin to appreciate the depths of His character.

I spent several years trying to comprehend God without knowing Him, and what did it lead to? Never being able to fully enjoy Him. It wasn’t until I began exploring with Him, spending time with Him and engaging with Him that I was able to build a deeper relationship with Him. If I wanted to comprehend and experience a new place when I was traveling, I had to spend time there. Now, was it possible for me to see everything a town has to offer? Well, I’ve been living in the New York/New Jersey area for 20 years now and I still haven’t seen everything it has to offer. Does that mean I should just stop exploring? Of course not. It’s the same thing with God. Paul would continue to say, “May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.” Just because you’ll never understand it fully doesn’t mean you can’t continue to grow to love it and peel away the layers to experience Him more and more.

There’s a reason exploring is part of my replenishment cycle. It does replenish and refresh me. I would venture to say that if you’re feeling like your tank is running on empty, maybe you could spend a little more time today exploring and engaging with Him to allow it to be filled once again.


Replenishment

As we head into the holiday season, life can quickly fill up with to-do lists, gatherings, and endless activity. It can be hard to focus on slowing down, staying connected to God, and finding peace in the middle of all the busyness. We asked a few of our staff members to share how they stay grounded during this busy time of year.

**Danielle P.**

Something that my husband, Blake, and I have been practicing each month is a monthly Sabbath. It’s a day we set aside to disconnect from the noise, slow down, and get grounded. We use that time to rest, reflect, and reconnect — with God and with each other — before stepping back into the rhythm of everyday life.

I also really cherish my morning time – I like to do my quiet time at a coffee shop in town, so I can be focused in on the Word (plus have a cozy cup of coffee!) and not be distracted by my surroundings. 

**Meghan H.**

One way I try and slow down during the holidays is to start early. It’s a running joke that I love Christmas so much that I start celebrating in July, and I DO love the holidays (especially Christmas) but honestly the choice to start early is a deliberate one. I noticed that I was rushing through the things I loved, trying to cram everything into two weeks, and it was just stressing me out and leaving me feeling exhausted and empty.

So instead, I go slow. I decorate early so I’m not rushing to do it later. Instead of trying to do everything, I pick the things that are important to me, and focus on quality over quantity. I try and stay present in the moment; work and social life can be hectic during these weeks, so I put a lot of effort into setting aside time to be quiet, and when unexpected slow moments appear I try to lean in, instead of rushing to fill it with a to-do list. (This is easier said than done, but any amount of slowness, however small, during this season is a victory)

**Alex M.**

This might sound a bit cliché for the season, but I find that practicing gratitude helps me stay grounded and present, especially when everything around me is pulling me toward wanting and wishing for more.

**James G.**

One of my favorite traditions during the holiday season is spending time reflecting on the themes of Advent. Each week, I focus on one of the key words of the season—hope, peace, love, and joy—and intentionally pray through that theme. Throughout the week, I look for ways to experience and recognize God’s presence through that particular word. For instance, during the week of hope, I might reflect on promises fulfilled and look for moments where hope shows up in unexpected places. It’s a simple but meaningful practice that helps me stay grounded in the true spirit of the season and deepens my connection with God in a busy time of year.

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Something we do every month here at Hoboken Grace is our Monthly Rhythms, a simple yet powerful way to deepen your walk with Christ. By heading to the Rhythms section in our app, you can engage with our monthly memory verse, meditation passage, and reflective prompts designed to guide you in a day of solitude. Each month also includes communion and fasting practices that connect to the verse we’re walking through, to help build intentional spiritual rhythms that renew your heart and focus. We invite you to join us through these rhythms as a meaningful way to stay connected to God’s presence and to help intentionally schedule times throughout your day to reignite your conversation with Him.

Staying Grounded During The Holidays

If you’re new here, hi! My name is Dana, and I am the Band Director here at Hoboken Grace. I oversee our band and production teams, and you’ll often find me leading worship on Saturdays or Sundays. I’ve been in this role for over 10 years and have been serving in various capacities for years before that.

I remember early in my time at Hoboken Grace, I was serving in the band as a vocalist, while working multiple jobs in the city. I should take a moment to explain that this looked totally different than what you see now at Hoboken Grace. We had music stands, our mics had obnoxious cables attached that I tripped over, there were no fancy lights or curtains on the stage, and the lyrics were just projected onto the back wall of the stage with a projector that sat on a table on the stage. It was something! But it got the job done.

![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2023/03/8574989830_f804769a32_c-1.jpg)

At the time, Pastor Chris decided to take our leaders to a conference in California called Catalyst. I didn’t really know what I was getting into, but I was invited. I wasn’t totally sure why they felt I should go, I was just a singer.

At the conference, the music was amazing. I mean, it opened with a beatboxing cellist, who you may be familiar with from the now famous Pentatonix. We were led in worship by some absolute legends, including Joel Houston, Israel Houghton and Darlene Zschech. At the time I had a faint idea who these people were, but was not super familiar with this kind of worship experience. I had had some similar experiences at college but nothing at this level of excellence or production value.

![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2023/03/575529_401957986494933_742211303_n.jpg)

Night one, Joel was leading us through the song With Everything. Thousands of people were singing their heart out to God, and raising their hands. I remember having no problem singing loud with everyone, but for some reason I could not find the courage to lift my hands.

Why was that so ridiculously intimidating?

Let’s unpack this for a minute, and maybe this will resonate with you.

1.  **I was making it about everyone BUT God**. In that moment I was feeling tension with raising my hands because I wasn’t totally sure why I wanted to raise them. I hadn’t worshiped physically like this before so this was new. I could feel a pull in the pit of my stomach to just do it. And yet I couldn’t. I was uncomfortable because I hadn’t ventured there with God before and was more worried about what other people would think of me raising my hands than I was about what God would think about it.
2.  **I was letting the enemy mess with my head**. There’s nothing the enemy would want more than for you to be in a room full of people worshipping his arch nemesis and for you to freeze. That would mean he’s winning. And in that moment in that room, for a minute, he was fighting hard to win. He was convincing me that what was more important was for me to stay comfortable and keep my hands folded together than it was for me to let go and worship Jesus. 1 Peter 5:8 says that the enemy, “…prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Isn’t it sad how the enemy can take such a small moment and make it so big in our heads? That small moment turned into an absolute battle for my mind and heart.

As the song went on (and it was a long one) something different started to happen. As I sat in the tension of whether to raise my hands, God began to just quietly soften my heart as I sang. With each refrain I felt more and more how very present God was with me, even in this small moment of internal struggle. And I felt how much He just wanted to spend this time WITH me. That closeness and gentleness slowly put me more and more at ease.

And then, in the darkness and loudness of that room of thousands of people, I raised my hands.

I mean, my arms were basically just bent with my hands barely at shoulder level, but they were up! Was I completely comfortable right away? No. I was totally muscling through and even hoping the song was over soon (and it wasn’t, that song is like really long when they do it live). But was I more truthfully worshipping Jesus the way He was nudging me to? Yes! I raised my hands to make it about HIM and not about me or anyone else.

If you see me on Saturday or Sunday now, you may question if I’m the same person I described in this story. My hands are up all the time. And that’s because it’s a constant reminder to me that He is in control, that He is faithful, that He is the Lord of my life in all things, and that HE is who we are singing to. Even when I don’t feel those things, raising my hands helps put God in an elevated place in my heart and life. It’s a trigger that tells the rest of me – my heart, soul and mind – that I am here to worship Him.

Next time you’re at church and you feel that nudge or that pull to do something outside your comfort zone in worship, take the leap! It can be clunky. It can be awkward. But eventually it will just be familiar, like coming home.

Not ready for that yet? I get it. Try spending time in worship on your own first. In the car. While making dinner. Maybe in the shower (I mean, the acoustics are great in there!). If you need a starting place, grab the [Hoboken Grace Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5Flm1wCBrEzo1guCwzm2n7?si=f3ac82ac66224d8a\&nd=1), find a song you resonate with and start there. Just you and Jesus. Enjoy where He leads you.


“I Throw My Hands Up In The Air Sometimes…”

This past week, our 1st Impressions team had their Friendsgiving huddle. Every huddle we like to have a theme, something that you can take away and sit with. In light of Thanksgiving coming up, Annah, our 1st Impressions Director, wanted to lean into gratitude. 

*“Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.*

*See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.*

*Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:14-18 *

Gratitude is not just a feeling but a heart posture that helps us see God in every moment. Both moments that are big and moments that are small. 

Gratitude reminds us that we don't just serve by completing tasks but *we serve people*. 

The team was encouraged to approach serving with thankful hearts because when we do that, we reflect God’s love by making space for Him to flow through us. 

Annah reminded her team that we see moments of gratitude all the time on our teams - we may just not realize it!

*When the set up team sets up 400 chairs each week to allow for over 1,000 guests to have a seat on Saturday or Sunday to experience God or even putting out the signage around our building so someone can seamlessly find our building.*

*When the tear down team breaks down 400 chairs to make this space usable during the week, allowing 90 VIBE students to be able to have     worship and small groups in here!*

*When the connection points team has talked to and checked in over 650 First-Time Guests this year.*

*When hospitality has to sort through over 2,000 munchkins a week because sometimes that's someone's breakfast for that day.*

*The greeters when they take the extra second to say hi and get to know someone by name to make them feel at home.*

These are moments of gratitude in motion! We serve not out of obligation but out of overflow! 

I want to take a second for you to think about what you're grateful for - maybe in your faith, in your day-to-day life, in the service of others.

What has God done lately that maybe you haven't slowed down to thank Him for yet? 

Maybe it's something as small as having a good meal or moving your body. Maybe a moment of peace in the middle of chaos, or something as large as playing a part in someone's first encounter with Jesus! 

I encourage you to sit with these praises as we gear up for the holidays! 


1st Impressions Friendsgiving: Seeing God in Every Moment

We live in a time where we can listen to five sermons, three podcasts, and scroll through endless “faith” content before lunch — but still miss actually hearing from God. 

This past weekend, we kicked off a brand new conversation called *Consumer Christianity*, where we talked about how, in an age of endless information and constant access to content, God calls us out of storing information and into living out His Word. 

One of my favorite ways we get to live out His love is through community. It’s no secret that Monday nights at 8 p.m. let me and my girls do exactly that. Dinner Group for us is a space where we get to dig deeper and apply the weekend’s conversation, but it’s also a place to bring our questions and talk through confusion about what we’re hearing or experiencing. Some of our best discussions start when someone simply says, “I need more help understanding that!” 

That’s how our group kicked off this past Monday night. We were talking about how the overconsumption of content can actually cause more harm than good if we aren’t actively applying what we’re learning. As we worked through that, a simple but profound idea came to mind — one that might seem obvious, but for me, it was the clearest way to explain why it’s so important not just to learn *about* God, but to actually spend time *with* Him — through His Word and His presence. 

I’ll use my own dad as an example, but this could really apply to anyone. Say I wanted to know more about my father — what he enjoys, his personality, what bothers him, or the little things that bring him joy. I could call up his friends, and they could tell me stories from college or share what makes him laugh. His parents could tell me about moments that made him cry. I could look through his favorite things — his playlists, his recently watched Netflix shows — to see what helps him unwind after a long day. I could even ask my mom for all the tips and tricks on how to navigate his brain best. Or I could pull out an old photo album to see what kind of questionable hairstyles he rocked in the 80s. 

None of those are bad ways to get to know someone. They give you context, and they can absolutely help paint a fuller picture of who that person is. But when I think about the *best* way to truly know my dad’s heart, one thing stands above the rest — *him.* Sitting with my dad. Being in his presence. Observing his heart. It’s one thing to hear stories about how my dad treats people — it’s another to sit across from him at the kitchen table and see the way he listens. That’s where I really get to know who he is and what he loves. 

And that’s exactly what our Father in Heaven invites us to do. 

Think of it this way: listening to a Christian podcast is like overhearing someone else’s phone call with your dad. You can catch parts of it, and maybe even learn something, but it’s not the same as having your own conversation. 

The good news is, you can. God calls us to spend time with Him directly because that’s where we experience Him best — through prayer, through quiet moments in His presence, and through His Word, which is His voice to us. He’s given us full access to know Him personally, not just secondhand. And the best part? He *loves* that time with us. He delights in revealing who He is. 

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” — *James 4:8 *

Podcasts, books, shows, and blogs are wonderful supplements. They help us hear about what God is doing and how He’s moving in others’ lives. But they were never meant to replace personal time with Him. 

So as you move forward this week, don’t just *consume* content about God. Spend time *with* God — the One who loves you most, who gave His life so that you could have yours, and who’s inviting you not just to know *about* Him, but to *know Him. *

What would it look like this week to close the app, open His Word, and let your Father speak directly to you? 


From Knowing About Him to Knowing Him

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Everything we do revolves around our mission of helping people find their way back to God. Our goal is to demonstrate who God really is and to let others know that God wants a relationship with each and every one of us.

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