Reflecting on a Season of Conspiracy

Merry Christmas, CCUMC!
Over the last four weeks, we’ve wrestled with the question of whether and how Christmas can still make a difference – in our own lives as well as in the world. We’ve re-arranged schedules, struggled with our gift-giving, and made choices about how best to give in the way God gave.   I pray that our wrestling with the question sparked new life in how you celebrate this wonderful holy day.  I pray too that this will just be the beginning to how we reclaim Jesus’ birthday.
In addition to our individual practices of Advent Conspiracy, we also got busy as
a community bringing a sign of Christmas to our neighborhood.  I want to give great, great thanks to the many that shared time during the Advent season to
wrap and label ornaments, to wrap and label toys for Asian Health Services, to
carol in the streets (even in the rain!), and to visit elders, homebound and new
folks to the community.  Thank you!  Our goal was to have 20 people involved
each Sunday and to have folks from both worship services.  I give thanks that we
averaged 26 people participating each week!  Perhaps it is time to set a new goal!
As we move from Advent to Christmastide and on into the season of Epiphany,
my hope is that the spirit of Conspiracy will grow and that we will find new ways
to make God known, to welcome Jesus anew, and to be signs of God’s love, peace, hope, light and joy in the world.
Christmas Blessings,
Pastor Emily

Advent Conspiracy In Action

Both English and Chinese speaking congregations combined to wrap gifts for Asian Health Services, and create 200 ornaments for giveaway to local passersby in Chinatown.

Despite the rain, our street carolers brought the message of Christmas to the local streets …

… and also in front of the church building.

On the Sunday before Christmas, more caroling was done at convalescent homes in the Oakland and Alameda community.

Advent Conspiracy–Love All

The story of Christ's birth is a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love.  So, what happened?  What was once a time to celebrate the birth of a Savior has
somehow turned into a season of stress, traffic jams, and shopping lists. And when it's all over, many of us are left with presents to return, looming debt that will
take months to pay off, and this empty feeling of missed purpose.  Is this what we really want out of Christmas?  What if Christmas became a world-changing event again? That's what we hope to do through Advent Conspiracy, a movement calling us to proclaim Christ in how we celebrate Christmas.

The concept behind Advent Conspiracy is simple...

Love All - TODAY!

When Jesus loved, he loved in ways never imagined. Though rich, he became poor to love the poor, the forgotten, the overlooked and the sick. He played to the margins. By spending less at Christmas we have the opportunity to join him in giving resources to those who need help the most. When Advent Conspiracy first began four churches challenged this simple concept to its congregations. The result raised more than a half million dollars to aid those in need. One less gift.  One unbelievable present in the name of Christ. For more information, be sure to visit www.AdventConspiracy.org.

Advent Conspiracy–Give More

The story of Christ's birth is a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love.  So, what happened?  What was once a time to celebrate the birth of a Savior has
somehow turned into a season of stress, traffic jams, and shopping lists. And when it's all over, many of us are left with presents to return, looming debt that will
take months to pay off, and this empty feeling of missed purpose.  Is this what we really want out of Christmas?  What if Christmas became a world-changing event again? That's what we hope to do through Advent Conspiracy, a movement calling us to proclaim Christ in how we celebrate Christmas.

The concept behind Advent Conspiracy is simple...

Give More

God’s gift to us was a relationship built on love.  So it’s no wonder why we’re drawn to the idea that Christmas should be a time to love our friends and family in the most memorable ways possible. Time is the real gift Christmas offers us, and no matter how hard we look, it can’t be found at the mall.  Time to make a gift that turns into the next family heirloom.  Time to write mom a letter. Time to take the kids sledding. Time to bake really good cookies and sing really bad Christmas carols. Time to make love visible through relational giving. Sounds a lot better than getting a sweater two sizes too big, right?

Advent Conspiracy–Spend Less

The story of Christ's birth is a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love.  So, what happened?  What was once a time to celebrate the birth of a Savior has
somehow turned into a season of stress, traffic jams, and shopping lists. And when it's all over, many of us are left with presents to return, looming debt that will
take months to pay off, and this empty feeling of missed purpose.  Is this what we really want out of Christmas?  What if Christmas became a world-changing event again? That's what we hope to do through Advent Conspiracy, a movement calling us to proclaim Christ in how we celebrate Christmas.

The concept behind Advent Conspiracy is simple...

Spend Less

Christmas has become a season of excess.  Consider this: America spends an average of $450 billion a year every Christmas.  That comes out to something roughly like $900 per household.  The invitation to spend less is not about being a Scrooge or loving our family and friends any less, but about intentionally considering how we use our resources to celebrate Christ’s birth, and to give in the way he gave: his presence.  So before you head out for the mall, consider these ideas:

• Consider your core values and whether what you are buying reflects those values.
• Consider drawing names and giving one less gift than last year (or two)!
• Consider how your spending might contribute towards what the world needs.

Here’s an example of what one family did in spending less – A family agreed to not exchange presents and instead gave that money to a charity or cause of their own choosing.  On Christmas Day, the time around the tree was spent listening as each person described their gift and why that cause mattered to them.

Advent Conspiracy–Worship Fully

The story of Christ's birth is a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love.  So, what happened?  What was once a time to celebrate the birth of a Savior has
somehow turned into a season of stress, traffic jams, and shopping lists. And when it's all over, many of us are left with presents to return, looming debt that will
take months to pay off, and this empty feeling of missed purpose.  Is this what we really want out of Christmas?  What if Christmas became a world-changing event again? That's what we hope to do through Advent Conspiracy, a movement calling us to proclaim Christ in how we celebrate Christmas.

The concept behind Advent Conspiracy is simple...

Worship Fully

It starts with Jesus.  It ends with Jesus.  This is the holistic approach God had in mind for Christmas.  It's a season where we are called to put down our burdens and lift a song up to our God. It's a season where love wins, peace reigns, and a king is celebrated with each breath.  It's the party of the year.  Entering the story of Advent means entering this season with an overwhelming passion to worship Jesus to the fullest.

The Practice of Giving is for the Giver

I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.- Maya Angelou

Stewardship is a counter-cultural practice that is fundamental to a growing, vibrant discipleship. What do I mean? We live in a culture that celebrates wealth, that encourages accumulation, and that promotes ownership as an ideal. We work hard so that we can not only pay our bills, but enjoy the “nice” things in life – flat screen TV’s, well-made cars, regular trips abroad, and all sorts of gadgets. We work hard to ensure our own security as well as the security of our children and grand-children, and being secure is wholly tied up with how much money is in our savings, our stocks, and our IRA’s. We are afraid of giving for all sorts of reasons: that there is only so much to give, that if we give we will not have any
for ourselves, that others do not deserve our giving, etc. It is almost impossible not to be influenced by our culture in some way.

The practice of stewardship resists and opposes our culture head on. It draws our attention to God, our Source, rather than to ourselves. It invites us to rest in God’s abundance and generosity, trusting that indeed, we will have all we need. It celebrates the Kingdom of God and God’s dream – where all are welcomed and all have enough. It broadens our vision from ourselves to the possibility of wholeness for all of God’s people and creation. It inspires us with the affirmation that we are an incredible part of that vision. It encourages giving generously and extravagantly, just like God does. And it promotes service and the recognition that we are the managers, not the owners, of the hard-earned money we have, the 24 hours in our day, and the skills and gifts we bring. Stewardship – the practice of intentional, prayerful, grateful response to God’s gifting – enables a concrete way for us to live this out. At the end of the day, our giving – be it of our time, our prayers, our gifts, our witness or service – significantly shapes us and
molds us into the people we want to be, the people we are called to be, into the likeness of Christ.

In the old hymn, “Spirit of the Living God”, we invite God’s Spirit to melt us, mold us, fill us and use us. How does this happen? How does the Holy Spirit melt and mold, fill and use? Practicing stewardship in all its complexity and simplicity, is an every day we can live this prayer. When we loosen our own grip on “our” money, we live into trusting God and depending on God. When we share our time, we live into recognizing and affirming ourselves as vehicles for God working in the world. When we make use of our gifts and skills in ways that contribute to the good of the whole, we live into God’s kingdom here and now. That is the promise. That is the miracle. Thanks be to God!