Two months out
Bob Hansen, “St. Nicholas,” makes a surprise visit to Arlington Hills Lutheran Church, St. Paul, Minn.
Honoring this St. Nick S
Good one! Meals at the manger
t. Nicholas Day (Dec. 6) can easily get overlooked in the hustle and bustle of December, but not at Arlington Hills Lutheran Church, St. Paul, Minn. The church holds two events at the
beginning of December to mark the season’s significance. Along with other local organizations, Arlington Hills sponsors a tree-lighting and carol-singing event (accompanied by a Salvation Army band) for the community at a nearby park. Then they go to the park’s recreation center to serve hamburgers and other refreshments to the crowd (last year approximately 125) free of charge. The church used to line up grills and cook hot dogs but have since partnered with the park’s recreation center and local businesses for food and coffee. Donated gifts are given to the children at the community event and during worship. Last year organizers added a visit from Nicholas, the fourth-
century saint who serves as a model for Santa Claus. Nicholas put coins in the shoes left out for him and was known for helping the poor. Ask the kids at Arlington Hills—they now know all about him. The church’s “St. Nicholas” (Bob Hansen, 86) arrived at the community tree-lighting and, because the costume didn’t have to be returned until Monday, he also made a surprise visit to worship the next morning during the children’s sermon. St. Nicholas’ visit will be part of the event again this year, said member Anita Rylander. For more information, contact
AnitaRylander@msn.com.
Fast forward to Christmas Eve—that’s when First Lutheran Church, Greensboro, N.C., generates several thousands of pounds of food through “Meals at the Manger.” Worshipers are asked to bring a can or two of nonperishable food items to Christ- mas Eve services. “We put items in a manger and boxes at
the entrance, which provides a conversation starter as people are greeted,” said Frank Moore, First’s director of community min- istries and founder of Meals at the Manger. “It also offers a way to teach children about sharing and putting God’s love in action.” In 2008, the first year of the project, the congregation gathered 1,500 pounds of food from 1,072 worshipers. The boxes of food were picked up by Greensboro Urban Minis- try for its food bank.
Moore calls the collection program a new Christmas tradition, workable for a church of any size. He created a website (www.
mealsatthemanger.org) that includes tips for starting the tradition, a devotion, ideas for artwork, and even a chance to share pho- tos from your church’s Meals at the Manger. For more information, email frank@
firstlutheran.com or call 336-292-9125, ext. 102.
Send congregational stories—both those for a specific month/holiday or your best timeless idea—to
julie.sevig@
thelutheran.org. October 2011 39
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