Community

A person steps up to our bread table on the sidewalk outside the church with a middle school age boy by his side asking about what’s happening. I share the story about the food that is for sharing with those in the community. I ask the young man if he might be interested in helping get the word out in the neighborhood about Ripple's Christmas party in 4 weeks. He lights up and says "sure". I find out he lives only a few houses up the street. I asked that he get permission from his mom and I only turned around for a minute and there was his mom and older sister. I explained the Christmas party idea and asked if they might be willing to help. Mom said her children wanted to help.

We need the people in this community and want them to know that this is their church -here for their community. There is a connection with this family and I take them on a tour and ask what kind of things they like doing. Kristy says she would like to put together a Christmas play with friends. Macho say he'd hand out invites and likes to cook.

One interesting point - they have not heard the Christmas story of Jesus birth. I pull a Good News Bible off the shelf and we read the Mathew and Luke story for the first time. Kristy begins making a list of Characters and Macho realizes he has heard parts of this story and he'd like to be a wise man. Mom and I exchange phone numbers and promise to be in touch. Kristy takes the Bible home to read more of the story and wants to know when practice can start.
Wow- what just happened? Connections? The Holy Spirit? The Christmas story being heard fresh and new, the incarnation happens again in this advent season.

What will come of this- who knows? I have learned to hold things lightly. Scatter seeds. We see some sprout.

The bread is gone from the table and I am full.