Advent: We Wait in Community!

One of the characteristics of this season is the gathering of people together in community. I particularly love the “gathering” in the churches – the celebrations in music, the Christmas plays, the feeling of real kinship that you don’t experience at all Christmas gatherings. For it is in the community of like-minded believers that you experience the real reason for the season! Your faith becomes revitalized! You know that you are part of a plan that you could never have orchestrated for yourself. The joy is unspeakable! A sense of peace floods your soul – all is well!

it was this feeling of community that the early church experienced on a daily basis:

43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

You might be thinking right now that this was then — we are not living in a time when this would be practical – the church is too large – the differences too many to achieve such community. And I would be the first to agree. But one thing we can do is where we can and when we can – we can act in community.

HeartLife Ministries has joined with a local ministry that is devoted to helping bring rehabilitation and restoration to drug addicts and their families, as well as other distressed peoples in our south suburban communities. To this end we are collecting hats, gloves, scarves and coats for men, women, and children to have a little warmer Chicago winter. One of the things that I discovered in my work as an educator is that there are many, many children who have to brave the fierce winds and weather of our Chicago winters without adequate outer clothing.

We are also collecting toiletries and bath goods for an area nursing home and if enough is collected we will also donate them to an area homeless shelter. Admittedly, these are small efforts, when the needs are so great – we recognize we cannot solve all the problems, but by God’s grace we can solve some. And what we know is that most of us have friends and family that have items that fit these categories that they will gladly give to if they just knew someone that needed them. WELL WE KNOW SOMEONE WHO NEEDS THEM!

Feel free to copy our ad below and send to all your family and friends – little one can do- much can be done by community!

Together We Can Make Christmas a Little Warmer for Chicagoland!
Hundreds of men, women, and children go without proper outerwear every winter. HeartLife Ministries has partnered with area south suburban shelters to help supply much needed items.
Needed: Coats for Men, Women and Children (All Sizes)
Needed: Hats, gloves, scarves, for children
Drop-Off: We Care Development
600 Holiday Plaza Dr, Ste 160B, Matteson, IL 60443-2236
(708) 481-7600
www.wecaredevelopment.com

We are targeting our collection to end on December 20th that the goods might be distributed before Christmas!

This is our Kairos Moment!
Maria