Simple Points of Kindness: Burgers & Dogs
I have been encouraged by several folks who have appreciated the hand-out, “30 Acts of Kindness.” These are not new ideas but helpful, it seems, to our mindset in these fractious times.
Similarly, we are again including relaxed variations of “passing the peace” during worship in the Sanctuary. Somehow, in these anxious and uncertain times, the simple act of shaking a hand and greeting a neighbor with a smile and the peace of Christ seems fresh and … well, nice!
It encouraged me to ask church members and my down-the-street neighbor Mik Ichiba if we would again assist me in hosting our end-of-the-street cookout and games gathering for our neighbors, several of whom have moved in since our first one last October. We have games for the kids, music, name tags and, of course, burgers and hot dogs. But that’s just the baseline.
Our neighborhood is a miniature United Nations, so we invite everyone to bring their favorite cultural dish and describe it to everyone. It was so much fun. Mik brought a Japanese delicacy. Tien, my next-door Vietnamese friend, brought an incredible dish. Anjay brought an Afghan casserole. Jessica and James brought a Polish dessert. The kids played cornhole and hopscotch while the adults lingered, laughed, and breathed more easily with the shared kindness and new acquaintances. Phone numbers were exchanged, and offers were made to look after one another’s house during vacation.
Small, shared acts of kindness leave lasting ripples of goodness. It’s who the church is at its best. It’s who our country is at its best. It’s who Jesus is as he has given ALL our neighbors to be with us. As I write this, I am prayerful for our neighbors in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina (my best friend in college lives in Asheville), as Hurricane Milton follows in the footsteps of Hurricane Helene. It is hard to comprehend the extent of the damage and loss of life. I confirmed with my friend, Rev. Jeremy Bassett, who heads up Emergency Preparedness for our Horizon Texas Conference, that our greatest point of kindness at this point for our neighbors there is to donate to the United Methodist Committee on Relief. 100% of your dollars go to direct relief. The overhead costs are covered by the apportionments paid by all United Methodist Churches. I am proud to be one of those; I am proud that FUMC Plano is a good neighbor with so many points of kindness.
Breathe peace,
PS: One easy act of kindness for your church and its ministry is to return your Estimate of Giving card if you have not already done so; you can do it HERE. Thank you!
Hurricane Helene has devastated parts of the southeastern U.S., bringing catastrophic wind, rain and flash flooding to many states and communities. In response, UMCOR is coordinating with affected annual conferences and supporting their local relief efforts. So far, UMCOR has awarded solidarity grants to the North Georgia, South Georgia, Western North Carolina and Holston annual conferences. Additionally, UMCOR-trained Early Response Teams (ERTs) are coordinating efforts to support the removal of debris, tarping of roofs, and cleaning out of homes in hard-hit areas. To support this and other U.S. disaster response efforts, give here.
