Dear Broadway Family,
We are exactly a week away from Christmas -- when we celebrate God sharing with us the best gift we could have ever received -- God’s presence in human form -- so we could experience the love God has for us, and all humanity.
And, so we celebrate this day, not only as the birth of Christ in our world, but also the rebirth of hope and love, joy and peace and, we celebrate this season as a season of sharing -- recognizing what God had shared with us -- God’s best, God’s self, God incarnate -- as Jesus!
Every year during this season, we humans are more open to spreading joy and cheer; it feels much stronger this year. I have seen many examples of this sharing spirit around me this year. I see communities coming together like we never have before and caring for one another in this season that is also so overcome by the season of COVID. Friends, just as Christmas is about light, love and hope overpowering the evil in this world -- may our Christmas spirit of sharing overcome the COVID-related stress in our lives.
Some simple ways:
The point is -- let us not allow COVID to take the joy of sharing away from us. Let us see that as more of a reason to share joy and smiles -- trust me -- we will feel better when we do that!
Let me shift focus for a moment and share some details for our upcoming worship services:
The following two Sundays we will have a “Carol Sing” and a Kwanzaa service.
Friends, it is my hope to give our staff and media team, at least 10 days, if not 2 weeks off -- completely shutting the office, since we all have been working extra hard these last 10 months. I invite your support to make that possible -- so if you have been asked to do a reading for Kwanzaa or to sing for the Hymn Sing, please send us your recordings (preferably in mp4 format) as soon as you possibly can, so our staff and media team can do what we need to do, and then take the much-needed break.
And again, let’s not allow COVID to stop us from doing what we are called to do in this season. COVID only causes us to pivot and re-think our plans -- but it cannot, and should not stop us from supporting, sharing, caring for one another (of course -- as much as we safely can), and celebrating the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”
Please do take good care of you -- wash hands frequently, wear a mask when out and about and, stay home if we can. Let us also take care of each other, check in with each other often and encourage one another to stay positive. May God give all of us the strength we need for each day. And remember, I am always your partner in justice,