This year we challenged you to be a part of the Advent Conspiracy - a resource to help churches engage in authentic Worship and Giving at Christmas. We asked you to consider buying ONE LESS GIFT this Christmas and give away the money you would have spent to those who need it most in an effort to help you Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More and Love All. Here are some of your responses of how implementing this in your family affected the way you celebrated Christmas this year.
If you would like to submit your story, please take time to share with us how you made a difference in the lives of others by entering the story of Christmas this Advent season.
STORY 1
Dow and I have made donations for gifts in the past, but this year we decided to give more to our favorite charities and give fewer "less-meaningful" gifts. I made a small book with each page highlighting one of five organizations, some local, and some international. We are giving friends and family stickers with their name on them. Each sticker is worth $10. Recipients can pass the book around, read about all of these great causes and place their sticker on the page they would like to put their gift toward.
- Dow and Jennifer Davidson
STORY 2
Our family bought a cow in Niger. We purchased several cast iron cows so we could participate in gift exchanges, each iron cow cost about $2 but she (they have utters) represents about $58 toward the cost of the real cow.
We gave a note to the recipients of the iron cow that read:
“Congratulations – you have an iron cow worth about $2 – and you gave up a gift worth $58 that we spent on a real cow - in Niger!! That isn’t a very good return… for you. But hey, you have this fancy cast iron cow that isn’t heavy enough to use as a door stop… and too heavy to hang on the tree.
We hope she reminds you of a lady in Niger who knows the meaning of work like you and I will probably never know. Based on the attached description from Samaritan's Purse, you can see our little ole cow isn’t a big part of the entire program – let’s pray she produces the most milk, offspring, income – or heck just some “beef - it’s what’s for dinner” to folks who need it…”
- Scott and Stephanie Bannister and family
STORY 3
The tithe collected by our kids here at church during the months of November and December went to stock a fish pond somewhere in the world through the efforts of Samaritan's purse. We were excited for our kids to see a tangible way in which their obedience can bless others.
- Walter Arroyo
STORY 4
For this year's Very Merry GAP Christmas Party, we decided to participate in the conspiracy by "adopting" four siblings and donating gifts from their wish list. Instead of putting the money toward items we truly don't need, we purchased gifts for four boys from First Light, a shelter for homeless women and their children. The boys asked for everything from undershirts and socks to a science kit and an Alabama hat. It has been such a blessing to participate in the Advent Conspiracy; thank you for the "challenge."
- Whitney Wright
STORY 5
By now most everyone has heard the story or seen the movie The Blind Side. This Advent story concerns the movie as well one of the local ministry partners that the body of MBCC supports. Restoration Academy plays football in the AISA and it is not uncommon for a kid at RA to experience homelessness. The Coach at RA, Dewayne Coker, is a big hearted man that struggles himself to make ends meet. Yet, he and his wife have had a "Blind Side" situation going on for over a year. The kid, Dequarius ("Pig"), is a junior now. At various times there have been others living with them as well. With the movie release, many friends of RA stepped in to offer to take the team to see it and one even picked up the tickets for about 40 kids and staff to see the movie. Other friends of the school came to share in the experience and help out. BBQ was donated and after the movie all came over to the Fireplace room and ate and enjoyed fellowship. Then Carl Lynn lead a discussion about the movie and many of the kids participated making many sincere and heart felt comments. The evening was a great success. Using the MBCC facilities was a real blessing. Most never know how well our church gets used for kingdom purposes. I am thankful for the hearts at MBCC that rally around our partners and lift them up. God bless to all.
- Sonny Culp
STORY 6
I made a contribution to NeverThirst and I gave the Christmas cards they sent me to my family and a few friends as Christmas presents this year. My prayer with every card is that one or some will follow up with gifts of their own.
- Pam Calk
STORY 7
My advent conspiracy is not what one may think. I have decided that my conspiracy is now to do battle against the darkness in my life and to be more transparent in my life and in my walk with Christ.
My only gift this season is this. That I have decided to give my heart back to God and not to let the devil sap me of my joy this holiday season. I have decided that rather taking a spiritual vacation this Christmas because of the stress of retail, I have decided to wage a full on battle with Satan and to take comfort in what God has done for me. To see that God is still working in my life. I have found that God never left me, rather my heart had left him, and that he loves me more than I can imagine.
I thank God for being blessed with friends like Chas Castinado and David Adkison.
Merry Christmas, to God be the Glory!
- Don Bemowski
STORY 8
Thyrza and I have joined the story. In fact, we decided to purchase all of our Christmas gifts for family (and some friends) from the Samaritan's purse, and Thyrza put a lot of thought into buying just the right gift for each member of the family. For instance, for our niece who is a veterinary technician, we bought Baby Chicks as a symbol of how she can minister through her involvement with peoples' animals. For our niece who has expressed an interest in Christianity, but doesn't seem to have committed her life to Christ, we purchased a “Greatest Gift of All” New Testament for a child in a developing country who completes a discipleship program through Samaritan's Purse. We purchased nine such gifts. Thyrza was just that thoughtful with each gift. She really showed me Christ in Christmas this year.
My contribution to the story was in our annual gift to the pastors. We have bought a book on a spiritual subject for Tim and Kevin each of the years we've attended MBCC. It is a nice gesture, but I've often wondered if there were not a better gift to give. The Advent Conspiracy inspired me to seek a better alternative, and in lieu of a book this year, we have made a contribution to "In Memory of Alden" for each of the pastors in an amount we would have spent on a book for them. This charity is a memorial fund for Alden Malachowsky, a 13 year old that the Foundation Community Group has been praying for for the last year and a half, and who went home to be with her savior this year. It's purpose is to fund scholarships to Camp Desoto, which was Alden's very favorite place in her time here.
- Steve and Thyrza Johnson
STORY 9
We/I definitely bought fewer gifts this year. We picked up an extra angel, gave an anonymous baby/Christmas shower for a family in need, donated money to the salvation army, helped mission Birmingham kids at the high school, participated in operation Christmas child, and sent care packages to our friends in Peru. There was a heightened sense of excitement and blessing that I experienced particularly with our anonymous baby shower.
- Kelly Keim and family
STORY 10
Our small group each chipped in the amount we would have spent on gifts for one another and combined that into a larger sum that we donated to HOPE International. That gift will serve as a loan for a struggling family in the Congo to help them start or sustain a business. Loans like these are helping to break the cycle of poverty in their communities and HOPE International uses that as an opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are blessed to have been a small part of this unique way to care for the poor in Africa during this Christmas season.
- Anonymous
Advent Conspiracy from MBCC on Vimeo.
