by Rev Robert A Wendel
Everyone knows that the earth has four seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. To the Christian way of thinking, there is a fifth season, the season of charity which happens every November and December. Of course, this special time of kindness is directly linked to our Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. We hope that each person or family sits down to a fine Thanksgiving feast and later has some presents under the Christmas tree, creating a feeling of food cheer shaped among family and/or close friends.
Such a wish or blessing, for all souls, does not come easy. In each community there are food drivers of all types by young and old, specially prepared meals in church kitchens, community meal sites, hospitals, long term care facilities and anywhere our watchful military is on duty during the year’s last two months. Even Scrooge gave his bookkeeper, Bob Cratchet, the day off from work.
Maybe now would be a good time to remind ourselves of just how much need there is in our city. Let’s begin with a particle tally from Beckley Day of Hope, a community event held here in mid-August; Guests: 2,599. Hot meals: 3,800. Groceries; 4,200 bags. Shoes: 1,215 pairs. Health screenings: 1,055 and Helping Hands reports these totals for the month of September. Households served: 801. Totally family members served: 1,597. Food: 747. Clothing:491. Emergency needs: 26. New clients: 53.
A letter published in the October 12th issue of a national weekly news magazine may say it best: “We need to stop marginalizing people who struggle. So many people live pay check to pay check. These are regular people who have fallen on hard times. They are parents whose child sits with your child at lunch, the unemployed dad you see at the Laundromat, the mom struggling to wrangle her small toddlers through the grocery store, the disabled elderly person or the homeless vet sitting on the park bench. I can tell you these people just need a little compassion, a little tolerance and a little help.”!
In a wealthy, blessed congregation such as ours, each Fifth Season of the year, it would be wise for all of us to mind what Jesus said “To whom much is given, much is required.” (Luke 12:48) “We are to use our wealth, time, talent and knowledge to glorify God and benefit others.” (I Peter 4:10).
Beckley’s American Baptist Men Enjoy Breakfast at 8:00 am
In October, 28 gentlemen from our church, the Fellowship House and the Crab Orchard Fellowship enjoyed another great breakfast and a brief moment of inspiration “Notes on the Lord’s Prayer.” Guys, please join us for more of the same at 8:00 a.m. on the second Saturday in November.