Giving Thanks

We had our annual Community Thanksgiving Service this past Wednesday night at the 1st United Methodist Church of Alhambra, with about seven churches from the area participating, including two from Monterey Park. The best part of it for me was seeing all the different churches working together, connecting, and coming together for the specific cause that connected to the theme of the evening "Our Daily Bread."

I was glad we were able to get a representative from People for People, our local food bank to share the needs in the long term as well as the short term: three of the low income families with Christmas wish lists were "adopted" by attendees to the service, and we collected a whole car load of cans and dried food that we asked attendees to bring to the service for People for People's annual Christmas dinner delivery to the 150 or so families in our area.

Although I'm thankful for the chance for the Church of the cities to come together for a worship service, the whole theme of showing compassion to our needy neighbors made me think that perhaps the better alternative for the Church is to actually host our low-income neighbors and share a meal than have a worship service about it. Better yet, have a worship service added so they can be a part of it as well. Wouldn't it be great if we had a dinner together and had an open testimony time to express our gratitude as the Church with the community? Let a deeper justice and worship flow together!

Prayer Garden Walk Reflection

This reflection post is from guest blogger Tiffany C, one of our walkers of the 4K prayerwalk and garden fundraiser on 10/31/09. A gardener herself, she also started one of our neighborhood gardens in Monterey Park and helps maintain our current gardens. Pictures courtesy of Tiffany as well.

When I take the time to walk someplace instead of drive (if possible) I notice things that I wouldn’t if I was inside a car. When I sit in a car with the heater on or the air conditioner blowing, the windows up, and music playing, I am blocked off from the world around me; I don’t notice the details I am driving by. On the prayerwalk this past Saturday it was an opportunity to notice the details in the city. I saw beauty: roses, birds of paradise, pumpkins, pomegranates, and new growth on trees…Fall. I saw neighbors: people going on walks, working on their garden, washing cars. I saw community: churches preparing for a Fall festival, friends walking and talking with each other, and new friendships being made. As we prayed for the city of Monterey Park we were blessed with meeting new brothers and sisters in this city. It was a blessing to experience God’s children acting as one body, regardless of what church we go to on Sunday or our political affiliations.

I am so excited about what God is doing in this place. It is so encouraging to see people praying for neighbors they do not know, for students, and businesses. I am so excited about the neighborhood gardens that are growing. It is a blessing for me to be a part of planting these gardens and helping them grow. I can see how they are helping build community and friendships in addition to just growing a crop of vegetables. And I can’t wait to have a harvest that is bountiful so that we can share food to our neighbors, some of whom may be hungry. For where there is food people will gather.