ADVENT OUTREACH FOR THE SEASON AND BEYOND
/WHEN GIVING IS ALL WE HAVE by Alberto Rios, Poet Laureate of Arizona
“We give because someone gave to us.
We give because nobody gave to us.
We give because giving has changed us.
We give because giving could have changed us.
We have been better for it, We have been wounded by it -
Giving has many faces: It is loud and quiet, big, though small, diamond in wood-nails.
Its story is old, the plot worn and the pages too,
But we read this book, anyway, over and over again:
Giving is, first and every time, hand to hand, mine to yours, yours to mine.
You gave me blue and I gave you yellow,
Together we are simple green. You gave me
What you did not have, and I gave you
What I had to give – together, we made
Something greater from the difference.”
Giving is, indeed, “first and every time, hand to hand,” writes the poet and here are your opportunities to share hand-to-hand your time, talent, and treasure in this season of miracles. Our Outreach & Justice Ministries Team has reached out a hand … how will you respond? Click on the + sign to learn how …
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Just across the UACC parking lot, the Forensic Treatment Center, formerly Metropolitan Psychiatric Center, houses 75 men and women who have a major mental illness, brain injury, intellectual disability or other conditions severe enough to cause them to be unable to understand legal proceedings against them. UACC's own Matthew Mahaffey, a public defender who defends many clients from there, describes the residents as "largely forgotten by society."
Except by UACC, that is. Before COVID, the UACC choir sang for FTC residents four or five times as an outreach project. FTC Chaplain Karen Pitt describes the concerts as the high point of residents’ time at FTC, a hopeful sign that they are not forgotten. Chaplain Karen says more than anything, FTC residents need to interact with people who care about them.
Putting together FTC's needs and the choir's outreach, UACC is going Christmas Caroling at FTC on Sunday, December 11 after cookies and coffee at church. Whether or not you choose to carol, there are lots of opportunities for adults and children to help show our love and give hope.
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Union Avenue has had a rich relationship with Soldan International Studies High School, where nearly all of its 500 or so students qualify for free and reduced-price lunches. Over the years, for example, UACC has tutored struggling students and provided breakfast snacks as well as hosted student art shows and meet-the-artist events. Most activities stopped with COVID. With Christmas fast approaching, the Outreach and Justice team has reached out to Soldan to reignite our work together.
As a first step, UACC has committed to provide winter coats (and maybe even hats, gloves and scarves) for the children of 10 families in dire need for Christmas. There are two ways you can be a part of this opportunity to make a difference.
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We at Union Avenue have been committed to supporting Memorial Boulevard Christian Church with the food ministry in their high need area. We commit financially to the MBCC Food Pantry each year; this year our church budgeted contribution has been $2,500. We are glad to be able to make this commitment. Our financial commitment is a beginning; it is a gift that calls us to deeper engagement with God’s people in need of care and with our Disciples community at Memorial Boulevard who welcome us to work hand in hand, and heart to heart with them.
Here’s how you can share … care … and serve in the days and months ahead …