01 Dec Scattered For Service
Dear Westwood Family,
A friend of mine moved to Italy this year. Last week, she noted that although the Thanksgiving holiday was an ocean away, Black Friday found her in Rome. Here, in these days of Advent, we find ourselves pulled by the festive traditions and expectations of the season. Including holiday shopping, with all its generous warmth and its exhausting commercialism.
As someone who seeks to make this season meaningful–to honor the holy, sacred gifts of Advent and Christmas–I frequently engage in self-reflective examination of all the things I think I need to do: what of this is helpful? Holy? What draws me closer to honoring the gift of Jesus’ birth?
I am so grateful that our church has a tradition called Scattered for Service. Originally inspired by a sermon preached here over 20 years ago (!), the event’s name honors how it’s our job to take the love of Jesus into the community–to Scatter and Serve. This church tradition is an invitation to do the work of the church as we’re doing our holiday gift-giving.
At the core of Scattered for Service are social impact gifts: instead of buying things to give to loved ones, we invite you to choose from a catalog of charities that are doing good work in our community and around the world. You get a card to give to someone, with a note that acknowledges that a donation was made in their honor. Instead of buying them something they don’t really want or need, you get to give a night of safe shelter and hot meals for a young person in LA who’s experiencing homelessness. Or a transit pass so someone can attend workforce training. Or humanitarian aid in the wake of war. The catalog of organizations was curated to include projects connected to our congregation, and consistent with our values. There’s an incredible variety of projects to support.
My family has practiced this kind of alternative, impact giving for years–making meaningful donations to programs and projects that are extending compassion and justice to others has been a treasured part of our practice since I was a kid. I love that it is a tangible way to expand gift-giving outward, that honors our love for each other and gives needed support to strangers. I appreciate how it centers generosity in the presents under my family’s Christmas tree. (As a bonus, this kind of gift never gets broken in the mail…)
Additionally, there are fair trade gifts to purchase–handmade things and edible gifts that are made and sold in a way that promotes sustainable development in the world and provides income to craftspeople and farmers.
Scattered for Service will set up shop on the upper level of Helms Hall, and I hope you’ll stop by! The young people in Grapple made some one-of-a-kind cards that you can use for giving impact gifts this year–and there’s always good company there.
Scattered for Service Hours
– Sunday, Dec. 3rd (before / after worship and during the Advent Party)
– Wednesday, Dec. 6th (9am-1pm)
– Sunday, Dec. 10th (before / after worship and after the Christmas Concert)
And speaking of good company–I hope you’ll consider joining in for our Advent Party this Sunday. There will be something for everyone, old and young. Enjoy a light lunch in the Loft, and help “Deck the Loft” Christmas trees with ornaments. Or, decorate a gingerbread house, make a collage card, and help create a mural. Take care of your holiday shopping at Scattered for Service, and enjoy the sweetness of the holiday season with your church family. Everything starts just after the Loft gathering, and after the Wisdom at Westwood class, around noon.
I’m grateful to be a part of a church that practices creative ways to celebrate the holidays–thank you for your part in helping make it rich.
grace and peace,
Pastor Molly