Arranging gifts for about 500 children and preparing Christmas lunch for about 350 people is an extension of the Church's ministry, the Anglican Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn Stuart Robinson says.
Collection of the toys to be distributed by StJohn's Care, run by the Anglican Church of StJohn the Baptist Reid, began in about July. Donors include Anglican parishes and businesses. A business with 47 employees donated 47 $50 gift vouchers this week.
The director of St John's Care, Sue Jordan, said each child would receive a major toy, two smaller items and ''everyone has to have a book, that is my rule''.
There are also gifts for adults who otherwise would not get anything for Christmas.
Ms Jordan had just returned from buying ham, turkey, potatoes and pumpkin for the StJohn's Care Christmas Day lunch. She is catering for about 350 people.
''A lot of families are finding it difficult to have something special on Christmas Day and they want to be able to celebrate. So they come along to our lunch,''she said.
Most of the cooking is done at the ANU's Burgmann College. ''We do the minor things like the peas and beans and my husband makes 40 litres of gravy.''
Bishop Robinson said the Christmas Day lunch provided by St John's Care told people they mattered. Celebrating that with a large group of people who might not have other places to go, ''in my view, is a wonderful expression of God's kindness''.
St John's Care provided a wide range of services to ensure people were cared for in difficult and stressful times.
Bishop Robinson helped to pack toys yesterday to be distributed to needy families for Christmas. He said many wonderful people gave hundreds of hours to the community through St John's Care. He said if toys were a way of building relationships and bringing joy to families, ''then I think that could be a very good way of doing it''.
Commercialisation of Christmas was inevitable. If it promoted the notion of giving he was in favour of that aspect of Christmas.
''I am wanting our Christian people to be generous and kind, gracious and selfless as they follow the example of God in Christ who gave his all for us.''
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