Gratitude for Christmas

by Michael Turman, who is just finishing his "Ministry Inquiry" at Community Mennonite Church, and will begin as Youth Pastor at First Mennonite Church in Kitchener in the New Year:

Can you feel it coming? The days are shorter, the nights colder, the house warmer and homier. The stores are decorated, the strings of lights are coming out, and that familiar music can be heard everywhere you go. Excitement and nostalgia are growing. Christmas will soon be here!

Strangely, such a special celebration brings so much anxiety and stress with it. We worry about the decorations, the dinner planning, the intense time management. After the presents are opened we sometimes get annoyed thinking about the things we asked for but did not receive. We worry a lot about which people we are supposed to get gifts for, and then wonder if the gifts we choose are nice or meaningful enough. Lost in these worldly concerns, many Christians develop another fear: Are we faithful enough to the spirit of Christmas? All of these anxieties reflect one thing: dissatisfaction.

Our dissatisfaction is not what Christmas should highlight. Christmas is a celebration of a miracle: the birth of a particular boy we believe brought us salvation. Is that gift alone not enough for us to celebrate? If the celebration of God's gift of Jesus is enough, then should we not be satisfied by the presences of whatever friends of family are with us? Satisfied by whatever may be the meal, satisfied by whatever we are able to give those we love, by whatever we receive from them, whether a hug, a kind word or an iPod? If we choose to be satisfied with what we have and who we are, then we can truly receive the gifts of the season with joy and give of what we have graciously, free from the fear of its inadequacy.

How can we practice this radical gratitude at Christmas? Tell people how much you appreciate their gifts and contributions—no matter how small. Teach your kids not to make a mile-long wish list, but make a thank-you list of simple things they are glad to have. Don’t believe the advertisers when they tell you that your loved ones will only be happy once they have the flashiest toys of the moment. If we are not happy now with all that God gives us every day, a few mass-produced gadgets will not change that. With hearts filled with gratitude, our holiday season can be a time of peace and joy. May God bless you with such gratitude!

- Michael Turman

Lorne Grove up to his tricks again...

Here's an article in the recent Stouffville Sun-Tribune about one of Lorne Grove's latest artistic projects...

give a day

A few weeks ago Jane Philpott shared her experiences and reflections with the rest of Community Mennonite Church, inviting and challenging us to understand ourselves as "part of the body," and also inviting us to "give a day for AIDS." That is, to give the equivalent of a day's pay for the battle against the AIDS epidemic.

Here's an article in the Toronto Star about this initiative that Jane has started.