While growing up in a small urban city in Mississippi, one of the ways society afforded me privileges was through the support of the community churches. I can remember when the local community center provided toys from Santa Claus for all the children in the neighborhood annually. The Holy Rosary Church, a Catholic organization had a party for the children and allowed us to dance the evening away. However, I felt this was a privilege because many of families were single, poor, and needed supplement things to fulfill the Christmas holidays. Every family received a big box as well with clothes which consisted of a turkey, canned goods, rice, vegetable, and etc. This was an opportunity for me to connect with friends. This annually event
Last semester, I planned my first outreach event at the church. We had bounce houses, face painting, food, games, and candy. I worked so hard to get this put together and even members of the church used their own money to purchase things to make this event happened. There was door to door evangelizing going on in the surrounding neighborhoods to get the word out, and there were only two people in the community that showed up. Two people.
In Anne Moody’s book Coming of Age In Mississippi, we are given a first hand look of what it was like growing up as an African-American in the south during the mid 20th century. Anne recalls many different obstacles in which she had to overcome- or at least stand up to. Many of the struggles Anne faces throughout her early life may not be out of the ordinary for this time, but how Anne chooses to deal with these issues is what truly defines her to be an extraordinary character of American history.
This past summer, I acquired an internship at Baldwin and Lyons, an insurance company in Indianapolis. Every Wednesday during my internship, a couple of employees and I would participate in a prodigious community service project, Meals on Wheels. Throughout the three months that I worked at Baldwin and Lyons, I got acquainted with some of the individuals whom we delivered to. These inspiring individuals were so grateful and appreciative that we took time out of our day to volunteer to do such a service. One elderly woman who we delivered to would sing to us as she came to the front door “good meals, good meals, good meals.” She is one woman that I will never forget. First going into this, I was elated knowing I was I getting out of the office for a few hours. I did not comprehend the fulfillment I would receive from delivering meals to the elderly and disabled. But I am pleased and proud of the work that I have done for Meals on Wheels. There is no better feeling than doing something for someone else and seeing such gratitude for something so simple. Acts 20:35 says, “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Peterson). In an effort to revisit and make a difference in my community, I have arranged that over Thanksgiving break, I work Monday through Wednesday delivering for Meals on Wheels of Central Indiana.
"BGCA Helps Parents Inspire Their Kids to Give Back During Holidays." Boys & Girls Clubs of America. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2013.
Forty seconds left until game time. Here we go again, versing one of our biggest rivals, Belleville West. As usual, I’m starting. Defense has always been my go to position and this year I’m playing right back. The air around us is cold, considering we aren’t quite in spring yet. Eleven of us disperse on to the field, all in blue, determined to win. The referee blows his whistle, piercing our ears, and twenty two pairs of feet stir into action. Our back line is staring at the ball move towards the goal when suddenly things turn around. Hurriedly we shift to the left, ensuring the ball is put to a stop. Hannah boots the ball up the long green field and we’re all hopeful. West is playing hard; aggressive is their style. They win possession. Back
Christmas used to be a time when families gathered and love enclosed each member. Meals and stories were shared and times were simpler. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Mass were special times for families to sit back in a pew and remember the true meaning of Christmas as carols were sung in the high choirs. This serenity and peace seems to be a thing of the past. Now, people are drowning in the pressure that Christmas is all about presents, and that unwrapping gifts on Christmas morning is what this joyous occasion is centered around. Another misconceived thought is that Christmas has to be bought and given away in order to have a good time. In 2010, a stunning “4.8 million people [found] time on Christmas Day to go online and shop.” On the contrary, only “4.5 million people who attend an Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, Baptist or Pentecostal church,” was present in church on Christmas Day. The thought that shopping is more important than the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ is appalling to Christians throughout the world.
To be a Chicagoan is to be a witness to the beauty of adversity, amazing food, and impossible diversity. Growing up in Chicago has engendered my passion for community organizing, and the importance of traditional and holistic education.
I learned about the importance of giving back at the age of 11yr old and putting the very important needs of others in front of my own. Volunteering in a homeless shelter at a young age opened my eyes. Where I was placed to give food, clothes, money & hygiene products to people in need. Where would I be right now without the help of God, my mother, family& friends and the church community”. Giving a helping hand to the people in the community is Something we should always do. In the ("bible Acts 20:35 says in everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the lord Jesus himself said: it is more blessed to give than to receive"). Having a compassionate heart for the community blesses the congregation.
“I do come from a family where a lot of them feel that there needs to be a focus on religion and Christmas now, but I do think that Christmas as a religious holiday has been very disconnected from that,” said Renee DeLora, senior. “It’s a good unifying
Growing up in Bridgeville, an average neighborhood, in Pennsylvania, I thought I was sheltered and deprived from other cultures, until I began taking my Early Childhood classes. I quickly learned that in fact I was surrounded by many different cultures. Growing up all the schools in the area were let out around the same time after school all the neighborhood kids would go inside for about an hour but after that one hour the streets would be filled with kids well at least the block I lived on anyway my mom always encouraged me to play outside but not leave the block; children would walk their dogs, ride bikes, play street hockey, skate, swim in yard, and so much more. Today think back there were a lot of white and black families in the neighborhood. I remember one day I wanted to play with my next door neighbor but she was not allowed to come outside because of Passover. Being Catholic and seven years old I didn’t know what it meant I just remember being mad she couldn’t play with me. It makes me kind of sad thinking about this because today you may see a kid here or there around the neighborhood but they are walking and texting and are engulfed in their cellphones and technology.
Christmas is a holiday celebrated by many nations and religions around the world. The spirit of Christmas causes people to come together. It is one of the most favorite times of the year involving gift giving and merry making. To celebrate Christmas people decorate their homes, churches, and other buildings in which fellowship may take place. They may do this with ribbon, holly, mistletoe, and decking them with silver and gold. But where did all these traditions originate? Now, many believe that Christmas is the celebration of Jesus's birth. The truth is that all of these customs from Christmas pre-date our Lord's birth entirely! Christmas today is just a collection of traditions put together to make the holiday we celebrate every year on December
Amidst the hustle and bustle of preparing for Christmas, the classic Christmas carol It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year can be heard just about anywhere. Its lighthearted tune and cheerful lyrics, “With those holiday greetings and gay happy meetings. When friends come to call. It’s the hap-happiest season of all” it is easy to become entranced with the song (Williams). It is true Christmas is the happiest season for a Savior was born. However, the happiness of Jesus does not last just season but a lifetime. Christmas provides a perfect opportunity for parish leaders to engage parishioners in conversations about virtues for without them own cannot obtain the happiness of a lifetime, but only for a season. The hustle and bustle of
The festival that I am doing is considered to be a big diverse holiday that is celebrated each December for a period of time. The preparing for Christmas is called Advent and begins on a Sunday four weeks before Christmas till after New Year’s. Christmas was originated because of Christ’s birth Christmas is a holiday shared and celebrated by many religions. It is a day that has happy and memorable feelings around the entire world. To a lot people it is a Joyous time of the year giving and receiving gift, parties and a lot of eating for days. Christmas is a holiday that brings almost all christens of and many other cultures and religions together at the same time of the year. The feeling of Christmas makes most people decorate their homes and churches, get trees and bring them into their homes, prettying them up with silver and gold. ( Jesus Birth. unknown. N/A, N/A.)
In many ways Christmas is similar to Thanksgiving in the way we celebrate it. We switch sides, sometimes Christmas is at our house, tons of food is made and we play games. Depending on what side of the family we’re spending Christmas with, there’s a theme, for example, about two or three years ago we spent Christmas with my mom’s side of the family and it was a pajama party and last Christmas we spent with my dad’s side the theme was ugly Christmas sweaters. Every year no matter where we spend Christmas, we always have to get some of my great grandma’s amazing and delicious Champurrado. She makes Champurrado every single year, she won’t tell anyone how she makes it for some reason, but her Champurrado is like heaven in a cup. On both sides of my family,it’s tradition for us get together on Christmas Eve and we have dinner, watch movies, play games, and even take naps, all until midnight and that’s when we open our presents. Also, on both sides, the adults do White Elephant and sometimes depending on what the majority vote is, they’ll do a secret santa exchange. The only thing my mom’s side of the family does differently than my dad’s, is that prior to getting together on Christmas Eve, the adults put each kid’s name in a hat and each person draws a name, and the name they draw is the kid they have to buy a gift for, and they’ll say the least or most amount of money they can spend on that gift.
The most joyous season of the year in our house is Christmas. All the family gets together, gifts are exchanged and we give thanks for all that we have. This Christmas however, was one that I will never forget. If it weren't for the help of a stranger coming to my rescue, my holidays would have been ruined. He reminded me that a little kindness really does go along way.