|
Hello Families!
About two weeks ago, we held our second Faith in Action formation class. We opened our Pop Up Love Shop and gave away all the items we had made over the last few weeks to folks walking by the church to the Pride Parade and to members of our church. Being a holiday week, many of you were gone on Fall break trips, but 13 kids helped "give away love", freely with no strings attached, except to pass on the love to others.
There were rainbow prayer beads made by the youth group, Acts of Kindness reminder keyrings, bookmarks and drawings, magnets and pencils, erasers and pins, water and cake. Most items were made by the kids as they were learning what it means to give love freely with no expectation of a "Thank You" or a return gift or a compliment. We call this Holy Giving, this giving from your heart, a Ba-BOOM-BA. Feeling called by God to give, serve, love, help because it is what we do. And the crazy idea that the act of giving does not deplete the love in our heart, but actually refills it simply by our action. By doing justice, by loving mercy, by walking humbly with our God, we are filled to overflowing. And the cycle continues.
The kids had their AHA moment with the first customer who couldn't believe he didn't have to pay for the items. And when he said with tears in his eyes "you mean the children in your church made these things for me, for us... I don't know what to say! I've never been accepted in a church. Thank you!" The kids turned to me with a combination of joy, sorrow, and knowing in their eyes. The lesson was real. It made sense now. They were living their faith on the sidewalk handing out things they had made from their hearts.
Faith in Action!
Peace,
Kathy
| 
