Take the time to share this time of Advent

A few years ago, I took a training workshop on youth ministry. One of the things I found most useful in that workshop was the need to attend to the needs of the youth who are not present in our church, the non-gathered community. The facilitators pointed out that much of our youth ministry efforts are targeted at the youth who show up. And that is good. But it is only half the job of good youth ministry. There are many more young people outside of the church walls than inside. How are we reaching out to them with a word of support and hope? It is quite a challenge! The same can be said of our ministry to adults. What if we took the time to minister to the community gathered as well as to those who don’t gather with us? Do we have something to say to them as well? How can we bring a word of healing, of peace, and of hope to them? At a time when the spirituality section of bookstores are stocked with all sort...