Christmas Outreach 2020
I remember my first Christmas at Pine Valley United Methodist Church. I was blown away by the annual Christmas outreach serving over 5000 meals. I never knew I could have so much fun washing collards! It was the first time I was able to get involved and I met some special friends in that kitchen that I hold dear to my heart. I found it exciting to buy the items to be donated and serve the meals. My husband and a friend delivered meals. I was so proud to belong to a church that served the community in such a way. While 2020 has been a year of challenges, we continue to see so many blessings poured on PVUMC! And I continue to be even more proud of PVUMC and the way God has shown our different ministries how to “pivot” or, as someone else said, to “creatively adapt and adjust to those challenges.” While we have unique challenges in social distancing and food safety and handling, we will still provide for our community, just in new and different ways. Isn’t that what Christmas is all about? Romans 12:4-5, “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ, we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”
Thankfully, PVUMC was already streaming services online before COVID. Quickly, we were doing Bible studies, Pastor’s Coffee Hour, Pastor Tim’s Saturday afternoon devotion and singing, etc. I have relatives and friends from all over watching our services online. We have people from different countries watching online! We had three ladies join at Sunday’s 11:15 service this month who had never been to PVUMC in person….only online. They did our online Bible study and worship. In my Bible study we had a lady come visit when she was in town because she feels this is her church even though she lives in Pittsburgh! The man came to fill our church drink machine and saw Pastor Tim. He said, “Hey, Pastor Tim! I enjoy watching you every Sunday morning on television before I go to my church!” God is working! Even in our weakness, when we came together as the church, the presence of Jesus shone through. Ephesians 2:22, “And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”
We are to represent Christ while on this earth, showing His love to everyone we meet. We are called to invite others into our community of faith. In a community, people care for each other. They use their gifts to help each other. Hebrews 13:16, “Don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God." Many people serve inside our church, but by going outside the church walls, we show God’s love to many who have never seen it. Ephesians 4:1, “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” Paul is saying, “all of you, together, are to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” We are responsible for more than our own spiritual health! We have all been called!
Here are some of the ways PVUMC will provide for our community. Send Christmas cards to our beloved seniors who are in care facilities. Adopt a homebound senior by safely preparing and delivering a homemade meal. Donate dark crew socks and a $10 Chick-fil-A gift card for those who are homeless or in recovery programs. Donate specific grocery items to make Christmas pantry bags for community call-ins or walk-ins. Sign and donate a Christmas card to put in gift bags. Volunteer to assemble homeless, recovery, and pantry bags or to make deliveries of these bags. In addition, the church will supply homeless shelters with bulk size grocery items for a Christmas week meal as well as devotion books for those in recovery. PVUMC United Methodist Men are supplying toboggan hats, and two adult Sunday School classes are supplying blankets for the unsheltered population in our community.”
“Material donations will be collected starting Sunday, December 6, and will end on Sunday, December 20. You may also drop off a monetary donation at the church or through Pushpay with "Christmas Outreach" in the notes field. Volunteer sign up sheets will be in the CLC on Sundays and in the Fellowship Hall the rest of the week. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions and social distancing, we must limit the volunteer activities to those who have signed up.” How can you help? Visit the Christmas Eve Outreach 2020 webpage for some suggestions.