We are a week away from Christmas -- when we celebrate God sharing with us the best gift humanity could ever receive -- God coming to dwell among us in human form, so we could experience God’s love for us, and all humanity. On this day, we not only celebrate the birth of Christ, but are also reminded of the gifts of hope, love, joy and peace that Christ shares with this world. We too celebrate this season, by sharing -- recognizing what God has shared with us -- God’s self in human form.
Perhaps that is why, during this season, most of us feel more open to sharing, and giving. Giving is a rewarding experience, and giving when there are no expectations attached is even more fulfilling -- we are not obligated to give, or return the favor -- we give because we wish to give.
Especially in the past couple years, this sense of sharing has been very visible, as folk have found time to reflect on our lives, and our priorities. I invite us to be a bit more intentional in our sharing in this season -- share with those who may need it the most, share your time with someone who might be lonely, share a recipe or even better -- share a dish and include the recipe. Some more simple ways to share:
Make a phone call to someone you haven't talked with in a while or don’t like talking to.
Pay for a cup of coffee for the person behind you at the coffee shop. Send flowers, chocolate or cookies for the staff of the hospital that you go to.
Include a gift card in the Christmas card you give to your mail delivery person, people who pickup your garbage and recycling, bring your Instacart delivery, UPS, Amazon, clean your home or building, bag your groceries or manage the front desk of your building. Even a thank you while looking in their eyes with gratitude will bring a smile to their face.
Sew/knit/crochet hats and gloves for a neighborhood shelter, or check in at the local shelter/food pantry/soup kitchen, and see if there is a need you can fulfill.
Buy an extra can or two for our own community pantry when you grocery shop, or an extra meal for the person you saw at the corner wrapped in a sleeping bag.
Anything else that you can think of, to bring a smile to someone's face. The goal is to share joy and exchange smiles -- trust me -- we will feel better when we do that! Feel free to also invite them to
Our “Blue Christmas” service on Sunday, December 19th at 6pm. The service will be offered in person, and will also be shared live on the Broadway UMC facebook page (make sure you ‘like’ the page, if you are on fb).
Christmas Eve Candlelight service will be in person/hybrid at 7pm. It will also be on Zoom, and live-streamed on Facebook.
On December 26th we will have “Kwanzaa” worship service at 11am.
Friends, our church office will remain closed for the week of December 27th. I invite your support to make that possible, and if you need anything -- let us know soon. The office will respond to your emails and requests during the week of January 3rd.
And remember to take good care of you: wash hands frequently, wear a mask when you are around people, and do all we can to take care of each other. May God give all of us the strength we need for each day. And remember, I am always your partner in justice,
