“It’s not about the amount or what the gift is, it’s about the act of giving. It reminds us of our equal humanity.” With those words, Pastor Josh Fitterling introduced the White Gift offering in Sunday’s service at First Congregational Church of Wiscasset.

More than 50 parishioners participated in the annual offering that benefits the St. Philip’s Church food pantry, Midcoast Humane and First Congregational’s special needs fund. Parishioners came forward to place their gifts, wrapped in white, around the manger scene where the three wise men recently arrived after their journey around the sanctuary’s windows. The journey symbolizes the wise men’s journey to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

The Wiscasset church has held the White Gift offering for more than 10 years. A parishioner suggested it after seeing it at another New England church. The first year raised over $400 for the selected causes and the tradition followed. White Gift Sunday has been a Christian tradition more than a century. A Methodist church in Ohio did it in 1904, according to the event announcement.

“We love supporting things that are needed in our community and this is another good way of doing that, so it’s a great thing all the way around,” Fitterling said.