A Whole Lot of Encouragement
Most of you have been busy planning for this unusual Advent and Christmas season already. We know you have been trying to find ways to reach out, engage, connect and serve in such beautiful ways. Drive-through’s for picking up great materials for home like fabulous Jesse trees, Advent wreaths and calendars. We have seen Christmas light displays put up early to bring joy and hope, and some parishes have gone to Zoom to have cookie baking lessons and learning the art of making traditional fruit cake. You are outdoing yourselves! This is the presence of the Holy Spirit moving in our Church!
Just in case you weren’t sure, you have been chosen for ministry at this time and for this time. It’s a crazy thought - but God knows you have the gifts, courage, fortitude and grace to manage things and find creative ways to touch the lives of those you serve.
This season is different for your parish, but for you too. We want to remind you to be kind to yourself. Don’t mourn the loss of the traditions or projects and programs of the past. God will give you all you need to meet this challenge and still find ways to share the beauty of Advent and Christmas cutting through the noise and mess to the real story. God has come into the world to save us - to give light and life to all. That’s what we are doing in our ministries. Pointing the way to Jesus, Emmanuel, Who is Wonderful Counselor! Prince of Peace! Mighty One! Lord of Lords! And King of Kings!
This very Jesus met us in our sinfulness and loved us. He has given each of us a story to tell. Perhaps that is the most important thing for us to do. Do some story telling in your parish. This Advent there are beautiful Feast Days that we can celebrate and grow closer to Jesus through their lives and legacies.
We also know that this year more and more of us have chosen to bring the Christmas spirit to our homes and neighborhoods early. We need the lights, the baking, the gift shopping and just the comfort of a season that brings out the best in all of us. We want to encourage you to extend it this year - to really celebrate the 12 days of Christmas! If ever there was a year we needed to continue showing others love, hope and joy, it’s this year.
We encourage you to invite your parish to continue the season all the way through Epiphany. And yes, give little gifts - of time, attention, food, acts of kindness and gathering - even on Zoom to continue feasting!
The gift of Jesus - being born into the world once again brings tears to my eyes this year. I want this so much for friends who have suffered Covid-19 or lost loved ones to it or been isolated and have family who are alone - to experience Christmas in a real way this year. Jesus is the light of the world. He has come that we might have life and have it abundantly. Even now. Even here. Even when the world is turned upside down.
We are witnesses to that life. It is time for us to wipe the tears and to imagine all the ways we can bring light and life to our parish family, our neighborhoods and community. We can be like an Acts 2 church - the one that people were drawn to by the way they loved.
We have a few lovely resources for you today to add to the things you have already planned. You are welcome to share them as you need. If you have your plan for the season all set, then we encourage you to take a look at them and add in elements of joy, abundance, feasting and celebrating! We will be sharing lots of things you can use during Advent and Christmas - just follow us on Facebook and find things to use and share.
May your day be one filled with peace and a deep knowing that you are loved. Ministry Blueprints team is here to serve you - and can help you get a beautiful plan all set for your church too. Just be in touch! Let’s make this Advent and Christmas one that our parishes talk about for years to come!
Peace,
Jane Angha
Photo by David Bartus from Pexels
