House-to-House
Family of Hope House Church December 2021
An Amish Christmas
My parents, with nine children, the youngest being my adopted little sister, may have been poor, but we celebrated Christmas in a way that could have warmed the heart of Ebenezer Scrooge himself. Yet by today’s standards it was bare beyond belief.
So why did we experience such an adrenaline-rush anticipation of Christmas day? We had no Christmas tree, no holiday wreaths, no Christmas lights. Some pine cones and evergreen branches decorated our mantles and window sills, but that was about it. The meager presents we had made or bought from our modest means were carefully hidden until the eagerly waited Christmas morning, when we also each got a plate loaded with hard candy, nuts and an orange for each of us children, treats to be savored at leisure. Other gifts were often homemade, though in later years there might be jigsaw puzzles, coloring books, a set of Tinkertoys or other inexpensive playthings to be shared.
When I compare this with our current Christmases, with mounds of wrapping paper and boxes and an abundance of battery-operated, high tech purchases, I can’t help wonder who really had the most fun. Could it be that in our efforts to give our children and grandchildren everything we didn’t have, we may fail to give them some of the good things we did have, like the ability to experience great joy in experiencing small pleasures, a priceless gift indeed.
-- Harvey Yoder
Notes, Prayers and Praises
KAREN CAMPBELL is now in Room 89B, Harrisonburg Health and Rehabilitation Center, 1225 Reservoir Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22801. Her cell number is 540,209-2675.
DECEMBER BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Karen Campbell, 12/26!
SPECIAL THANKS TO LOIS RIVERA-WENGER for her generous gift of a copy of the new VOICES TOGETHER hymnal for each FOH household! Please have your copy with you for upcoming services.
THE WALKING ROOTS BAND will perform in a Christmas Concert at the Eastern Mennonite School auditorium at 7 pm Sunday evening, December 12 to benefit Mennonite Central Committee. There is a $10,000 matching fund available, so the local Relief Sale Board is hoping to raise at least another $10,000 at this event, in order to bring the total to $20,000.
December Lectionary Texts
5 Ezekiel: Valley of Dry Bones Ezekiel 37:1-14 (John 11:25-26)
12 Word Accomplishes God’s Purpose Isaiah 55:1-13 (John 4:13-14)
19 Word Made Flesh John 1:1-18 (Psalm 130:5-8)
26 A Voice in the Wilderness John 1:19-34 (Psalm 32:1-2)
December Services, 4-5:30 pm
5 Location: on line
Worship and sharing: Elly Nelson
Bible Study: Kent Palmer
12 Location: on line
Worship and Sharing: Lois Rivera-Wenger
Bible Study: Dick Dumas
19 Location: Guy & Margie Vlasits 3399 Caverns Drive, Keezletown
Worship and Sharing: Lewis Overholt
Bible Study: Harvey Yoder
26 Location: on line
Worship and Sharing: Lois Rivera-Wenger
Bible Study: Elly Nelson
