Click on one of the blue “+” signs below. A box will appear with the idea you can try. Pick one, contact us to let us know what you are trying, then go give it a shot. We know once you try something, God is going to teach you something or show you His Kingdom in a unique way. If you just want to keep that stored up in your heart, by all means let that be between you and God, but if you want to share it with us just contact us back tell us how it went. Either way we want to thank you for being good news of great joy this year.
The Virtual Christmas Tree
Becoming The Good News This Christmas
Welcome to our virtual Christmas tree. This was built to help you imagine the good news you can be this Christmas, even in the middle of COVID. We have found that for us to have an imagination for living God's mission in our everyday lives we need practical ideas to jumpstart things for us. Below on our Christmas tree you'll find normal everyday things that many people may already be doing. The hope is that we would do these things with the intentionality to be good news of great joy that is for all the people this Christmas.
Dinner Blessing: Order dinner or just treats for your neighbors through Door Dash or Grub Hub. Send them a note or text (some sort of message) to let them know its from you. Maybe do one neighbor a week and encourage them to pay it forward.
Cheer up a neighbor. Think of someone in the neighborhood who has a special need for encouragement—someone who recently lost a loved one, lost a job, has struggled with health problems, etc. Organize neighbors to do something special (a “community Christmas gift”) to help or encourage this person.
Carol Singing For vulnerable people: Invite a group of people to go with you to visit a local assisted living facility and carol around outside each window so they can listen and not be exposed to possible viruses.
Buy an extra dozen donuts and give them to a neighbor (everyone loves Bills). Maybe even pick one neighbor a week or every few days and bless them individually.
Bring Christmas to families: Talk with the BCC office, Ning Peel, The Promise House or someone you know connected to International families and be Santa for them this year. Do it all up — lights, tinsel, food, and presents. Show them what good news of great joy means.
Birthday party in a box for baby Jesus. Especially for children, organize a special “birthday party” with a focus on the birth of Jesus. Plan for appropriate crafts, fun activities, yummy treats, and a story time for telling the Bible’s Christmas story. Put all of that in a box and bless your friends and neighbors.
Troops who won’t be home: Send some holiday cheer to the troops. A care package filled with holiday goodies or send a small Christmas tree, your generous gift will make their holidays a little bit brighter.
Drive Thru Blessing: Pick a local Drive Thru order your meal then when you pay also pay for the person behind you or the next 2 people or the next 10 behind you. Make sure you leave a “Merry Christmas” card (no contact info just Christmas greetings) at the window, ask the cashier to put it in their bag. Pick one drive thru for each week of advent.
Do a Saturday morning coffee run for neighbors or friends with whom you want to connect. — YOU BUY.
Spread some cheer: Set aside a Home Group night to write letters of appreciation to people you truly appreciate. Think about the postal service workers, maintenance workers and even your favorite barista!
Bring Christmas to families: Talk with the BCC office, Ning Peel, The Promise House or someone you know connected to International families and be Santa for them this year. Do it all up — lights, tinsel, food, and presents. Show them what good news of great joy means.
Christmas letter by snail mail. Send a special, personalized Christmas message postal mail (snail mail) to some of your friends, you could include a brief version of your personal faith story connected to the Christmas story if it is appropriate.
Seek out school representatives and see if you can bless a teacher, (appreciation days, awards ceremonies, clean up days, supply needs, etc..) During COVID they need this.
ADOPT A STORE: The manager at your local stores is most likely just a family man or woman trying to do his or her job with excellence—someone who could use encouragement during their most demanding time of the year. Call up a store and ask the manager if you can bring their employees cookies or snacks to put in their break room on Black Friday or on other high-traffic selling days of the Christmas season. Write cards to the employees, thanking them for their service to the community. If you have the means to do so, provide small gifts—church mugs filled with candy or $5 gift cards—for the employees. Let them know you’re praying for them and actually set aside time to do so. When employees who always hear “the customer is always right” see strangers going out of their way to thank them during this busy season, it makes a huge impression that could very well pave the way for a gospel conversation.
Help people go shopping: Organize a shopping trip where you go shopping for your elderly friends or neighbors. Ask them for the list and let them know you’ll get everything they need. OR maybe help them set up and order things online.