Pastor’s Corner: Once Again

November 20, 2019

Two weeks ago, I wrote about things that didn’t seem like they’d work, but, “Why not? Let’s give them a try.”

This issue I say, “Let’s do something again.”

Advent is almost here. The first Sunday in Advent is December 1^st, right around the corner. We’ve got Christmas Caroling and a Pageant coming along, and Christmas Eve will feature wonderful music from a choir enhanced by strings and additional voices. What a treat!

We will also repeat something we did last year. We’re going to make it another Advent of Giving.

For each of the twenty-five days of Advent and Christmas Day, we will have a devotional reading available for you. We plan to have the first installment ready for you on Sunday the 24^th, and you will be able to download copies from holycrosshilo.com as well. Each of the reflections will conclude with this challenge: to set aside a non-perishable food item, and bring your week’s collection to church the next Sunday. Last year’s effort brought in over 400 pounds of food, distributed to our hungry neighbors by the Food Basket.

Let’s do it again.

To be truthful, I’d really rather not do this. I’d rather that all our neighbors had magically gained full-time employment with a living wage, that they all had solid roofs over their heads, that none of them had to choose between paying groceries, utilities, and medical bills. I’d rather that we could offer an Advent of Thanksgiving rather than repeating an Advent of Giving.

Not this year.

This year, let us fill our hearts with the knowledge of sound discipleship and the experience of generous community. Let us fill our hearts with earnest reflection and diligent prayer. Let us fill our hearts – and fill our neighbors’ emptiness, too.

Let us make this a deeply blessed Advent of Giving.

With aloha,

Pastor Eric