Just in case you’ve missed our schpeels on ADVENT here is some useful information:

• Advent is a part of the churches liturgical calendar and dates back centuries ago.
• It is a time of preparation for Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Jesus.
• It is supposed to resemble the hope and expectancy that the OT Jews felt during the time they waited for the messiah.
• And it is supposed to parallel the way the church is in hope and expectancy for the second coming.

During this holy season we, as Mosaic, will join with the rest of the body of Christ throughout the world in reading the same scriptures, singing similar songs, and promoting the peace and justice of God’s Kingdom.

So here are some ways you can participate:

• Lead Mosaic in a prayer or verse
  • Reading Advent versus during worship time: Please email me and let me know if you can commit to reading 2 verses on a Sunday. We need at least TWO persons to commit to this each week of Advent.
  • Light a candle in the Advent wreath and lead Mosaic in a prayer. We need at least ONE PERSON to commit to this each week of Advent.

• Servanthood
  • Serving Locally- Check out the post on Mosaic Miami to find out info on serving Touching Miami with Love.
  • Serving Globally- More information will be posted on the site and talked about on Sunday about serving the Haiti Water Project.

Please email me with the Sunday that you’re available and what you’re interested in doing. Thanks for being an active participant in worshiping as a community.

Peace + Justice,

Leslie

“It’s about listening and responding. God speaks the divine word of love and mercy; we respond in gratitude and praise.” — Waiting in Joyful Hope (Daily reflection books)

Are you looking for a way to serve your community this Holiday season? Touching Miami with love is inviting Mosaic to participate in a few events:

TML’s Youth party: December 18th from 4:00pm to 6:00pm
TML’s Children’s party: December 19th from 3:00pm to 5:30pm

You can help TML by donating the following for each Christmas party:

FOOD

Vegetables or fruit (Suggestion: carrot sticks, grapes)
Main dish (Suggestion: spaghetti)
Dessert (Suggestion: cookies, cupcakes, pie, cake, whatever)

Ingredients for the Sugar Cookies Project: TML facilitates a project where their kids decorate sugar cookies during their Christmas party on the 19th. They need the following: Sugar cookies, Icing, Sprinkles.

GIFTS

30 small dollar-store gifts to give to the children (no more than $5/ea.)
19 girl gifts (Suggestions: accessories like plastic necklaces, bracelets, and hairbows)
11 boy gifts (Suggestions: sets of matchbox cars for the boys)

Year-round, you are invited to come volunteer in our after school programs that are held Monday thru Friday from 2:00pm to 6:00pm.

TML’s primary focus is in the southwest quadrant of Overtown and Downtown Miami. Downtown Miami and Overtown is a small inner-city community of 12,000 people in the midst of metropolitan Miami-Dade (2.3 million). This area is the poorest community in the State of Florida. The community is plagued with many consequences of poverty including high crime, drug trafficking and use, high teenage pregnancy rate, single parent families, substandard housing, failed education and lack of quality activities.

Please consider serving the youth and children of Overtown this Holiday. If you’re interested in connecting please contact Christy Craddock at (305) 416-0435, ext 202 or christy@touchingmiamiwithlove.org

www.touchingmiamiwithlove.org

WHY: Because here in the United Sates 95 million people, one third of the nation, have housing problems including payments too large a percentage of their income, overcrowding, poor quality shelter and homelessness. Habitat for Humanity is dedicated to providing decent, affordable homes for those in need.  This does more than put a roof over someone’s head, it allows families to provide stability for their children, increases the sense of dignity and pride a family may have, improves the health, physical safety, and security of those living there, and increases the educational and job prospects of people who before didn’t even know how they were going to make it through the week.  Thus we are fighting poverty in sustainable ways.  We do this to be a tangible expression of God’s love, fleshing out shalom in our community.  In addition, all families who receive a Habitat home are presented with a Bible and a short prayer and celebration upon moving into the home as a testimony to Who is behind everything we do.

WHO: you! and anybody else interested in coming who is over 16.

WHAT: construction.  Wear sensible work clothes, CLOTHES TOED SHOES, and bring a water bottle.  Also, we are required to take a hammer, nail apron, and work gloves.  If you don’t have these and do not have the money to purchase them, let me know.  If you are willing to purchase them, we will be doing more Habitat projects in the future, so there will be opportunities to use them again!

WHEN: Saturday, September 6th.  Be at the worksite at 7:30 sharp.  Do not be late, because there is a very important orientation session at that time, and if you miss it you will not know what is going on.

WHERE: on SW 244th St. and SW 129th Ave.  I’ve attached directions.  Because I know it is a bit far, I’d like to try to arrange car pools, so email me if you are willing to drive people, or if you need a ride.  We will have a short meeting on Sunday to figure this all out.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, and please let me know 1) if you cannot bring your own tools, and 2) whether you can offer or will be needing a ride.