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Holidays

Helps for the Holidays

The months of November and December naturally bring to mind holidays, home, and happiness. For many people this is true, but to others the holidays can bring sorrow and loneliness. A third group of people may try to ignore the festive occasion by staying out of as many of the holiday activities as possible. For Women's Ministries, this is the time when everyone can become involved by helping others.

Let's look at some of the available ministries to each group of people.

Happy, cheerful, and active

The first group of people are those who look forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas with real enthusiasm and excitement. They get into the mainstream of shopping, cooking, fellowship, and spend time and energy galore.

It is difficult for this group to understand why everyone around them does not share their viewpoint.

There are several ways to make this group of people happy.

a. Encourage them to help shut-ins with grocery or Christmas shopping.

b. Get them involved in preparing a Thanksgiving dinner at the church for those who do not have families.

c. Suggest they "adopt" a grandparent, aunt, or uncle, for the holidays.

Sad, lonely, and depressed

This group of people needs our understanding as much as the previous group. Circumstances often cause loneliness and depression. If we can understand their problems, we can reach out to the lonely during the holidays to help them survive with the least amount of heartache.

We should not expect them to react with the same exuberance as the first group.

Finding a meaningful ministry for this group of people may lift their spirits.

a. Team up with other lonely people who need fellowship and friends.

b. Find a project, handwork, letter writing, etc., that will interest them and benefit a shut-in.

c. Send them a "care basket" of fruit, baked goods, etc.

d. Visit them and encourage them in the Lord through prayer and Bible reading.

Ignore-it-and-it-will-go-away

The third group of people becomes emotionally detached from holidays. They do not fit into the first group and they are uncomfortable with the second group.

The challenge of this group is to find something in which they are interested and appeal to their basic desire to serve and be a blessing. Do not relate the service to the holiday season.

a. Provide transportation to and from the store for shut-ins, or shop for them.

b. Plan an annual winter cleanup for the church kitchen, nursery, and restrooms. This activity will incidentally prepare your facilities for holiday activities.

c. Provide a "parents night out" nursery care for young parents. Set firm hours such as 9:00 - 9:30 and enforce the time.

d. Plan weekly evening prayer meetings in various homes during November and December. It may become habit?forming.

By understanding the differences in people, we can provide ministry for all.