Help brighten up Christmas for those who have so little!
The Jesse Tree Project is an annual Christmas project undertaken by St. Agnes parish to assist local folks during the holiday season.
The gift program kicks off the weekend of November 15.
Due to lack of space we are using wreaths in the Narthex of the church to select your gift tag instead of the Jesse Tree. This year we are emphasizing the donation of gifts instead of gift cards for the children, seniors and veterans we assist through this outreach program. There will still be opportunities to donate money to purchase gift cards when this best meets the organization’s needs (e.g., Shepherdstown Shares).
To participate in the program, simply take a tag from the wreath.
IF YOUR TAG IS FOR A GIFT
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The tag will provide information to help you select an appropriate gift for the person.
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After purchasing your gift, wrap it and attach the gift tag to the outside and bring it to the Church or Parish Center.
IF YOUR TAG IS FOR A $25 DONATION
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Make the donation and St. Agnes will use that money to purchase the gift cards.
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You can donate online, or place money in the collection basket by the wreaths or the offertory basket during Mass.
- If you are writing a check or placing money in an envelope Indicate “Jesse Tree GIFT” on the memo line of the check or envelope if your offering is cash.
The deadline for all gifts or monetary donations is Sunday, December 7, 2025 at 12:00 noon.
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
Contact any of our committee members: Katie Hershey (240-818-9595), Steve Bledsoe (678- 447-1343 or saszbledsoe@outlook.com), Anna Bledsoe, Tera Lynn Gray, or Gretchen Matz.
Many thanks for your generosity!
Give Online or Make Checks Payable to:
St. Agnes Social Concerns
On the memo line write Jesse Tree Project.
You can drop checks in the collection basket at any Mass, bring them to the parish office, or mail to:
St. Agnes Church
PO Box 1603
Shepherdstown, WV 25443
What is a Jesse Tree?
The Jesse Tree tradition began in the medieval Catholic church and is rooted in Isaiah 11:1: “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” Jesse was the father of David, Israel’s greatest king. And Jesus is descended from the line of David. He is the branch God promised would grow from Jesse’s family tree. Each symbol represents a story from within this family tree and a step toward the birth of Jesus.
Originally, the Jesse Tree was a way of preparing for Advent by journeying through the stories on Jesus’s family tree. Each day of Advent, read a Bible story about someone on Jesus’s family tree and hang an ornament symbolizing the story on your Jesse Tree. As you decorate your tree, you’ll see how God prepared for Jesus to be born through many generations.
The Jesse Tree has evolved over the years in many Catholic communities replacing the ornaments of bible verses with ornamental tags requesting gifts for the needy of the local communities.