Christmas Benevolence: A Story from Ruth Whitehurst

Christmas Benevolence: A Story from Ruth Whitehurst

Our theme during Lent is “On Your Mark, Get Set, GO!” The “mark” of the cross reminds us of our baptismal covenant where we are “marked and sealed as Christ’s own forever.” From this place of remembering, we find ourselves grounded or “set” in love and in the community that forms us as disciples of Jesus. It is from this place of love that we “GO” into the world to share God’s presence and love.

As we share these stories from Christmas Benevolence during the next few weeks, we hope that they may provide us with some ideas for how we can go and make us smile with their warmth.

Each Christmas for the past several years, an anonymous donor gives $20,000 for parishioners to spread Christmas cheer in and around Austin. Two hundred envelopes of $100 each are distributed to spread joy and hope.

The story from Ruth:

“As I walked my normal exercise route, I found a homeless man named Austin sitting and painting at the corner of Woodhollow and Far West. I stopped to talk to him and learned that he grew up in Austin and went to the same middle and high school my kids attended. His circumstances changed when his parents died. He told me he is grateful for the many blessings of his life. Specifically, he said that the nights are cold but he rejoices in the sunrise every day. WOW! Amazingly, he told me of the necessity of HOPE in our lives. Again WOW! We talked for 15 or so minutes and in that time he shared his favorite bible verse, author and movie. I asked him if I may give him a gift and he looked up with a cautious smile. I told him about the GS Benevolence program and gave him an envelope with ten $10 bills because he would have a hard time passing a $100 bill. He was so very thankful and said that he was going to buy more canvases so that he could share his art with more people.”

If you are able, how will you GO during Lent?