Its On The Cards

Posted on: 11th November 2026

One of the city’s oldest christian charities is on a mission to remind people that the coming christmas season is more than Santa Claus, parties and presents.

Leeds City Mission (LCM) are focussing during the forthcoming festive season on distributing packs of christmas cards which depict the biblical nativity story and its narrative of peace with God and goodwill to mankind.

They have sourced a total of 2000 christmas cards from Day One – a christian publishing charity. Each pack of cards features such traditional scenes such as shepherds with their sheep in the fields, the baby Jesus in the manger, three wise men brining their gifts, scenes of Bethlehem and other features of the original christmas story. Each card has a relevant scripture text.

The Christian Book and Card Booth in the LCM Compassion Centre in Mistress Lane, Armley is hosting a pop up charity shop throughout November and December. They have stocked up with scores of packs of cards. Bulk buying has enabling them to slash the retail price by one quarter thus making them affordable for believing people from church communities who may be under financial pressure. Money raised will also be recycled into the various LCM projects which include a foodbank, warm space, clothing bank, hygiene shelf and other initiatives. The City Mission has a chaplain to prisons in the Leeds area based at the Compassion Centre.

Michelle Pawson from the Christian Book and Card Booth at the City Mission explained that over commercialisation often evacuates the true meaning of many events and festivals in the UK. She said that it was a sad fact of life that many people will celebrate christmas with no reference to its origins, meaning or significance. Jesus is often excluded.

She said that this seasonal initiative by the City Mission is encouraging Christian people to highlight the real meaning of the season by obtaining and using these greetings cards as they mail out to friends and relatives in December. At the same time funds generated from sales will be recycled to undergird the evangelism and mercy ministry projects of the City Mission helping people living at the margins of society.

Michelle Pawson said “Anyone is welcome to visit our Christian Book and Card Booth at the LCM Centre to acquire their stock of cards as they prepare for the christmas season”

Volunteers at the City Mission have also upcycled thousands of Christmas gift tags from used greetings cards.

These are being offered for free to people calling at the Mission to obtain their packs of chrismas cards or to access some of the other projects and services run from its premises.

Leeds City Mission is a multi-church Christian agency which has worked with marginalised people since 1837 and is engaged in evangelism and mercy ministries to Leeds residents. It is located diagonally opposite Armley Library, next to Westerly Rise flats and is open: Monday–Friday, 10am–3pm. More details on 0113 345 3118.

Accompanying photographs show Michelle Pawson from the City Mission with supplies of christmas greetings cards for the forthcoming “Its on the Cards” seasonal initiative. Also picture of Leeds City Mission premises in Mistress Lane, Armley, Leeds, LS12 2LJ