Giving thanks to our volunteers
Every Tuesday, Anna teaches English to new migrants at our local community centre. Her students include refugees, asylum seekers on temporary protection visas and grandmothers who speak English as a second language.
English is a notoriously difficult language to learn and much patience is required by both student and teacher. For many of the refugees, learning English helps improve their employment prospects and boosts their self-esteem.
Anna is just one of the thousands of volunteers throughout Australia who give up their time to serve their community. International Volunteers Day is celebrated on 5 December and I see this as an opportunity to celebrate the wonderful generosity of so many people in our world.
Some support their local community through soup vans, running blanket drives for the homeless and organising fundraising events for families in need. Others offer assistance to overseas communities living in poverty. Whether it is locally or abroad, their noble service has made a difference to the lives of many.
Reflection: Praise God for the good work of our volunteers! Remember to say ‘thank you’ to any volunteers you encounter this week.
Think about this passage from 1 Corinthians 12:26: “if one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it”.
Brian Lee
Image: kmb43xgame via freeimages.com
MANY HAPPY RETURNS
A few months ago, we were travelling around the countryside in our camper. Many small towns and villages have a ‘Welcome’ sign. A tourist information board would direct us to all kinds of interesting attractions. In one town, a bakery sign advertised pies, rolls, sit-down lunches, and of course, all sorts of coffee fixes. Very tempting!
I was attracted to the little country churches. The well-painted weatherboard, cared for lawns, and hardy plants and shrubs indicate love for an historic worship centre. It also shows faithfulness of God’s people over generations. At one church, a well-displayed noticeboard displayed a ‘Welcome to all’ message. And of course service times and the names of people to contact – all signs of a worshipping and serving ministry. Praise God for their faithfulness!
As we drove on, there would often be another sign – ‘Thank you for visiting our town’. One read ‘Please call again!’
How wonderful would it be to see a sign on the reverse side of the church notice board with a special word for visitors - ‘Thanks for being with us today, please call again!’
REFLECTION: Are you seeing someone new today? Make sure there is a welcome and a cuppa from you! Is there someone missing? Make sure all is well with that family.
Bill Pugh
Image by Lachlan Hardy via Flickr
CHRISTMAS 1943
Now pushing 78 years of age, I can still vividly remember the Christmas present given to me by my mother in 1943.
Dad was absent most of the time, working in the RAAF. Mum ran the household for me and my younger sister, Margaret. We lived behind a shop front on Union Road, Surrey Hills, where Mum made ends meet by teaching violin.
The Christmas present turned out to be a large children’s book for me, barely five-years-old. It was a cut-out farm-yard book which yielded animals and buildings in cardboard. When clipped or pasted together, it stood up in three dimensions and I had a complete “ranch” in miniature which became real in my imagination. I have no doubt that this present began, for me, a love of both books and the rural countryside.
Looking back, I treasured this gift in my mind long after it disappeared. War-time brought rationing of food, clothes as well as fuel. There was not much evidence of obesity, and recycling was the order of the day. Nothing was wasted, including the dripping drained from meat if you were lucky enough to enjoy it occasionally.
Reflection: During and just after the war we always had enough to cover our needs, though rarely our wishes. Were we better off then than now? Community spirit was strong and lots of things were readily shared with neighbours and friends. Churches were usually full of worshippers and children happily played simple games around the humble house, much safer than they seem to be today. Thank God we could also share some clothing to be sent overseas in a charity bag for those less fortunate than ourselves.
Geoff Serpell
Image by Craig D via Flickr
CHRISTMAS THANKS
Thank God for the prophets of the Old Testament who foretold the coming of the Lord! For the wonderful news to Mary, his birth in the little town of Bethlehem and the inn keeper who gave Mary and Joseph safe and secure lodging in a stable.
Thank God for the warmth and company of the stable animals, the shepherds in the fields watching their flocks summoned by an angel to welcome the newborn royal baby, and the angels who filled the heavens with glorious singing and praise to God at the news.
Thank God for the presence of the bright star over the place where he laid, guiding the Magi to bring him gifts fit for a king. For the warning in a dream for the little family to return to Nazareth by another way, to be safe from Herod’s terrible jealousy. For our Christmas where we are free to joyfully sing carols of praise and celebrate God’s wonderful gift to each of us, and to the world of Jesus.
The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory which he received as the father’s only son. (John1:14)
Thanks be to God!
Reflection : One way to remember the Christmas story is to place a bowl on the table for the Christmas Bowl Appeal. Remind the family of those who do not enjoy Christmas today as we do. Their gift is important.
Bill Pugh
Photo by Jeff Weese via Flickr