CJ' s REFLECTIONS


I have done something this year for the first time even though it was something that I always wanted to do. The something is an advent study and it was done at two locations. The first was Harbor House and the second was at Northridge Assisted Living. Both studies are being attended only by women. The first group varies in age from late fifties to mid seventies. The second group I believe is in their late eighties and early nineties. Both groups have averaged six to eight attendees. This helps to make group discussions very open and quite comfortable for the groups and they have been very good about sharing their thoughts. It has been very striking to me on how differently the two groups respond to the same questions. I have been wondering why their responses have been so incredibly different. Today as I was thinking about this I began to think about the life experiences of the two groups as I have heard them. I also began to think about how the two groups, which average twenty to thirty years apart in age, view things through different lenses. And yet there doesn’t seem to be a generational gap between them they agree largely in their answers to the questions. What varies is how those answers are expressed.
I asked both groups to describe their favorite memory of a Christmas. Both groups talked about how something special happened, often a birth of a child or grandchild made Christmas special. For a couple of the younger group, it was how they received support from their church in a time of grief that had made Christmas special to them. For the older group it was that someone they did not expect to visit who did come that had made Christmas special to them.
I asked both groups: What is your favorite Christmas song and why. You would think that the same songs might be named for both groups. The songs named were all hymns in both groups which didn’t surprise me but only two of them were the same ones. Silent Night, Holy Night and Joy to the World were suggest in both groups but the reasons were different. The group at Harbor House named Silent Night because “it tells the Christmas story so well” and it does. The group at Northridge said, “Because it’s so peaceful.” And it is. Both groups are right about the song. But I wonder what in their life experiences is it that makes one group think about peace while the other focuses in on the story of Christmas. Could it be that the first group is struggling with the commercialism of Christmas more then the other group is? During my lifetime I have seen the Christmas shopping season grow. While Christmas has always been on December 25th . Why do we need more time now then we did in my youth to buy Christmas presents? Could it be that we have forgotten what Christmas should be about?
The reason I have always wanted to do an Advent Bible Study is simple. I truly fear that Christmas is in danger of being lost in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas shopping season. Fewer and fewer people come on Christmas Eve for the Candlelight Service because that is when their families are opening Christmas gifts. My folks didn’t always go to church but we went often went on Christmas Eve. When my kids were small we usually went to a church on Christmas Eve (not always our own) before we went to the grandparent’s house or we would stop on our way home from the grandparents.
The thing is that Christmas Eve is truly the Holiest night of the year, why do we neglect being in church to worship the one the season is supposed to be all about? All during advent we have heard, that Advent is the season of hope, peace, love, and joy. It is the season that is supposed to prepare us for the coming of Christ. I wonder would we have been like the shepherds found in Luke 2: 8-20. If the angels appeared to us and said “To you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” Would we drop every thing to go and find that child?
Wishing you the joy, peace, hope and love that is at the heart of the Christmas season.

Pastor C.J.


Are you making plans for summer vacations? If so you might want to consider attending 2011 General Assembly, July 9th -13th in Nashville, Tennessee. For more information go on to the internet at www.disciples.org/ga. or talk to Pastor C.J. We can send any number of attendees but we need two voting delegates plus the pastor to represent the church during the business meetings of the greater church.

News from the Lucas County
Inter-Church Council

The Lucas County Inter-Church Council is pleased to announce that it will be expanding its Ministry to the people of Lucas Country starting the first of January. In addition to the food pantry located at 410 South 7th St. Chariton, Iowa, and the Medical Aids Loan Closet we will be serving as the drop off sight for Crisis Intervention Services, which operates a facility for victims of Domestic Abuse, and Sexual Assault with professional personal advocacy assistants for those who need such a service. This organization services Mahaska, Marion, Lucas and Keokuk Counties.
Donations to this cause may be made at the Ministry Center, which is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:15 A.M. to 11:15 A.M. Items needed are: Paper products such as toilet paper female products, diapers, paper plates, paper towels toiletries-- such as: soap, shampoo, deodorant, tooth brushes and tooth paste. These items should be clearly marked to go to “Crises Intervention”. For more information, please contact either Cheryl Downard at the Scicap office or Rev. C. J. Latham at Chariton Christian Church.