Advent: Shopping binge or making a real difference?

Six years ago a group of young people got together to see if they could make Advent and Christmas become something more than a shopping binge. They wanted to see if they could make a difference, a real difference, to the millions of people around the globe who contract fatal diseases because they don't have access to clean water.

They came up with Advent Conspiracy.

I think this is amazing. From a simple idea has come an enormous global movement, and we can be apart. Some Episcopal churches have taken this and begun a fund-raising effort called Wine into Water, raising money for clean water efforts by Episcopal Relief and Development. In the new year, we will hear more about that. For now, please watch this video, and then click HERE to learn more about Advent Conspiracy:

[AC] Promo 2011 from Advent Conspiracy on Vimeo.

Christmas can [still] change the world: Advent Conspiracy

What if this Advent we returned to our deepest meaning of our tradition? Instead of all of the stress of shopping malls, traffic jams and parking lots, what if we worshipped more and spent less on ourselves? What if we spend so that others might live more fully?

This is the purpose of Advent Conspiracy, an organization helping people in the poorest regions of the world by providing the means for safe drinking water. We are also using the name for a gathering of parents of teens and 'tweens this Sunday at St. Paul's. It comes down to the same thing -- the promise of hope and the love of Christ entering our world.

This the third year I've promoted Advent Conspiracy in this space; to learn more about this organization, click HERE. Below is a promotional video from last year that is still good:

Advent Conspiracy: Time Magazine notices!

You may not have caught this: Advent Conspiracy, which I began shamelessly promoting last year, has been noticed in the mainstream media. Time magazine gave it coverage this week. You can click HERE to read the story in Time, and click HERE to read more about Advent Conspiracy, which describes itself as "is an international movement restoring the scandal of Christmas by substituting compassion for consumption."

And here again is the terrific video on this great cause:

Advent Conspiracy: We can change the world this year

"Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins."

-- 1 Peter 4:8 (from this morning's Daily Office reading)

How? Let me recommend a way:

Last year I promoted Advent Conspiracy, and I am proud to do so again. This is coming from the "Emerging Church" movement, a group of Christians (young!) unconcerned about denominational boundaries (refreshing!) who are focused primarily on serving the world outside the walls of our institutions.

They especially want us to renew the meaning of Advent and Christmas by giving, and especially by bringing safe drinking water to the poorest regions of the world. Watch this video below, and check out the Advent Conspiracy website by clicking HERE.

While we are at it, you should see last year's video. It is a classic:

Advent waters

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned on this page Advent Conspiracy, which is raising awareness about safe drinking water in poor nations. If you haven't checked it out, please do so by clicking Advent Conspiracy or by looking at its partner organization, Living Water, a Christian organization that is drilling wells in poor countries.

Martha Loach Webber also brought this to my attention: Proctor & Gamble has a program to raise money for delivering water purification packets to villages and other places that lack a clean water supply. The technology is simple and cheap. The website is definitely worth a few minutes of your time and your giving consideration. Click here: Children's Safe Drinking Water.

One more idea in this season of giving: Gifts for Life through Episcopal Relief and Development. Check out the on-line gift catalog for gifts that make a difference to those in the most needs.

Finally, friends at the convention of the Diocese of Los Angeles last weekend talked with some of the Holy Cross brothers about the recent devastating Santa Barbara monastery fire (highlighted on this blog last month). The brothers, ever modest, mentioned that without the monastery retreat guest house, they have no income. Donations to the Order of the Holy Cross would be gratefully accepted to help them get back on their feet: 

Mount Calvary Retreat House
P.O Box 1296
Santa Barbara, California 93102

Advent Conspiracy

Associate Rector Janet Legro preached a great sermon on Sunday about how we will be held accountable by our maker not for the quality of our beliefs but for the quality of our welcome. Our welcome begins with those who walk through our door, and our welcome is made tangible by how we give to those who have so little in the world beyond our door.

This Advent I'd like us to enter into a time of radical welcome. Please watch this video below. It is so worth your time. And after you do, think about how we can do this. We can do this as individuals and as a church. After you watch the video, please click Advent Conspiracy to learn what we can do. Yes we can.

Here is the video.