It takes James “Jim” Marshall three minutes to snip the netting off a Christmas tree, unwrap it, determine the price, put a ribbon on the top, and add it to the pile of trees to be sold. He’s perfected this skill over 38 years of spearheading Immaculate Heart of Mary Church’s tree sale each December.

The trees sell at prices more affordable than can be found at most places, making the holiday purchase accessible for those on tighter budgets. The proceeds go to helping community members in need through a Catholic Charities fund, administered by the church.

“It may not always be food. They give out a lot of rent assistance, rent deposits, or buy bus tickets so people can shop or get to work, you name it, medicines, prescriptions,” Marshall said.

He began the tree sale nearly four decades ago with a group of men from his parish. Now, Marshall spearheads the efforts each year, from ordering several hundred trees from Canada, coordinating their transportation, organizing volunteers to unload them, and staffing the lot to sell them.

“It’s a lot of fun,” he said. “It’s a lot easier than selling raffle tickets. People go away with a smile, say, ‘Merry Christmas,’ and you feel good that they got a good product for a good price.”

Last year, the church raised almost $9,000 in tree sales. This year, they’re selling 450 trees and aiming for $10,000.

“The good thing about it is that you’re helping people in the holiday spirit, but the money has a year-round use and benefit,” Marshall said. “The commandment of the doctrine of the Church is love your neighbor. So, yeah, that’s what I’m trying to do.”

He has lived in Concord for over 50 years and worked for several decades as a civil engineer for the New Hampshire Department of Transportation. Now, as a retiree, he has extra time to devote to the tree sale. Volunteers staff the tree lot on the weekend, with Marshall spending several weekdays outside with the trees, ready to assist anyone who needs help.

“I enjoy the interaction with the customers, the different philosophies of families buying a tree,” he said. “Some will get out of the car and they’ll go to the first one they see and say, ‘Oh, this is good.’ Then I had a group of four people here the other day who spent an hour and a half debating whether they should get one of those 15-foot ones.”

Chuck McGee attends Marshall’s church and spent eight years helping out with the tree sale before starting another sale through the Knights of Columbus at Christ the King Parish in downtown Concord.

“He has a real dedication,” McGee said. “You don’t see that kind of long-term dedication anymore, particularly in a ministry like his where it’s done in the cold. On cold, dark weekends he’s still out there greeting people.”

The sign in front of the church, right by the side of Loudon Road, announces the tree sale for charity. Customers range from Concord residents who buy their trees at the church every year to people driving through the city on their way to or from somewhere across the state.

Some will see the sign as they drive past. They’ll go do their shopping and return, telling Marshall they didn’t know about the sale and they like the charitable aspect, he said.

He remembers his annual customers and relishes the opportunity to meet new people as they browse the trees in the lot.

“It sparks conversation with people there. People donate or pay a little extra money because they know it goes somewhere that matters and isn’t for profit,” said McGee, based on his years of experience working with Marshall.

Marshall looks forward to December every year. As customers leave the lot with their new tree loaded into the car, he calls out ‘Merry Christmas,” then turns back to the trees until the next group of people pulls up.

“Everybody has a gift to do something in their life, and this is my ministry that I want to keep going, and as long as my health holds up, I want to keep doing it,” Marshall said.

Immaculate Heart of Mary Church is located at 180 Loudon Road in Concord, with trees available for purchase every day.

Rachel Wachman can be reached at rwachman@cmonitor.com