“…she, out of her poverty, put in everything…”
Mark 12:44
JESUS WAS GENUINELY IMPRESSED. In Mark 12:38-44, he notes the faithful offering of a poor widow, unnoticed by everyone else, while warning against the proud, deceptive sensationalism of the Pharisees. A remarkable contrast is drawn between generosity and greed, between FULLNESS and EMPTINESS.
Something remarkable in the perspective and actions of this woman, living in poverty, catches Jesus’s attention. It should capture ours, too. If we are open to Jesus’s teaching, he is ready to move us from EMPTY TO FULL.
YOUNG CHURCH
- Godly Play: The Story of the Exile and the Return
- Big Kids: ZOOM meeting at 11:20 am on Sunday
COLD OR COVID-19?
Why would anyone choose to live outside, unsheltered, during these cold, wet months? Reasons span a spectrum. Consider, though, this excerpt from Crosscut, reporting recent King County data:
“So far, 685 people experiencing homelessness in King County have tested positive for COVID-19 this year. That’s 2.1% of all the cases in the county, and about half of those instances have been linked to outbreaks of the virus at emergency shelters.”
Faced with this reality, and no good options, you might be inclined to brave the COLD over COVID-19.
What can we do about it?
SERVE TOGETHER SUNDAY
November 29th, following Thanksgiving, is a fifth Sunday, one we ordinarily devote TIME and TREASURE to serving our neighbors as a church. Pandemic closures and restrictions demand different approaches. AURORA COMMONS (local ministry serving unsheltered women/men on Aurora Ave. North), requests specific items. While there remains a need for new and/or gently used men’s general clothing, outdoor survival items for living unsheltered top the list. This is about helping people survive the rain and cold.
- Tents
- Tarps
- Sleeping Bags
- Waterproof/Water-Resistant Gloves
- Men’s clothing
- Waterproof/Water-Resistant Men’s Coats
- Individually wrapped, shelf-stable snacks/drinks
Here is an updated Amazon wish list from the Aurora Commons website. Items may be shipped directly to their offices (not their drop-in address):
- Woodland Park United Methodist Church, 302 N 78th Street, Seattle, WA 98103
No sign-up genius list. Any amount of items from any of the aforementioned categories will be welcome; give as you are able.
To drop-off items directly at church, stop by between 10:30-Noon on Sunday the 29th. Pastor Eric will be masked and ready to receive your items at the front door!
Christmas Eve 2020
COVID-19 shall not cancel Christmas Eve!
But we need to adapt our traditional pagaent to a ZOOM format.
How?
Contact Pastor Likkel if you have creative suggestions and willingness to help put things together.
BEYOND SUNDAY
- Four separate Small Groups meet via ZOOM on a regular basis – “Guys Group”; “North End Moms”; “Crown Hill”; “POD-19”; email office@emmausroad.net for info
- New Horizons Dinner – served every first Wednesday; email office@emmausroad.net for info.
- Aurora Commons – Wonder what their wishlist is? See it here; view the most recent update here.