A church in the US has hosted a baby-shower for Jesus, with guests turning up with 'it's a boy' balloons, cupcakes and gifts.
The outreach committee at Kimball Avenue United Methodist Church in Iowa hosted the shower to celebrate the birth of Jesus and to collect donations to distribute amongst needy families with babies and young children.
The party ran like any other baby-shower, with presents, food, games and treats.
The shower organizer Beth Kirkevold said: 'It's a different approach, you know, celebrating Christ's birth and also his message of helping the poor and the less fortunate.'
Parishioners were asked to purchase gifts for the baby-shower, which will be donated to local charities which work young families and mothers and babies in need.
A director of Alternatives, one of the agencies who will benefit from the donations said she 'loved' the baby-shower for Jesus idea:
'Oh, I love it, I love it, I love it,' said Janet Lyons, 'The things we go through the fastest are the diapers, the wet wipes and the newborn outfits.'
Parishioner Pearl McCollom said she was delighted to be involved in the baby-shower, saying 'every child' is a miracle': 'We just needed to help them out and love them,' she added.
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