“We were praying with our feet” – Abraham Joshua Heschel (walking with Dr. Martin Luther King from Selma to Montgomery).
“The Longest Journey begins with a single step.” – Lao-tzu
“Faith is the direction your feet start to move when you find out you are loved.” – Frederich Buechner
“You are Christ’s hands and feet.” – Teresa of Avila
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace…” - Isaiah
Dear Sisters and Brothers of Memorial,
I recently heard a story, “The babies of Lincoln Hospital.” Some might call these “crack babies.” Their mothers left them because of their own addiction and many other reasons. Women from a nearby church learned of the children’s story. They took turns coming to the hospital to hold, rock and feed them. The women, as soon as they took a step toward the hospital were praying with their feet (and their arms), were beginning/continuing a life-long compassionate journey, were sharing the love they had received in their own lives and were Christ’s hands and feet. How beautiful!
Memorial offers all of us a chance to be Christ’s hands and feet this Christmas.
1. Bring or send your Christmas offering. It will
- Help the men and women of Anchor House in Brooklyn, which serves people attempting to get free of addiction.
- Provide iTune cards for soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq.
- Provide a water buffalo for a village through the Heifer project.
- Provide shelter for LGBT kids, homeless this Christmas as they have been evicted by their families.
You can designate to one of the above or your gift will be distributed among them.
2. Take a mitten from the Viola Lull Mitten Tree. The mitten will tell you a need of one of the homeless men at The Open Arms Shelter. Purchase the gift they need, wrap it up, tape the mitten to the top of the gift and put it under the tree by Christmas Eve.
3. Bring a new or gently used coat for homeless persons of Westchester and put it in the crèche by January 3.
4. Purchase a poinsettia ($15) to honor or remember a loved one or friend. Let us know who is on your heart.
We hope all of you will have a meaningful Christmas. Join us on Christmas eve at 7 p.m. for a family candle lighting service and at 11 p.m. for a candle lighting service with communion. We will provide some Christmas food in between. See you then. Bring or send your Christmas gifts. This gives us a chance to pray with our hands and feet, Christ’s hands and feet.
Peace, Salaam, Shalom
Pastor Joe
