Christ Among Us

An amazing display of agape love!  The fragrance of the meal to be served wafted the hall.  Young and older volunteers were reaching out, smiling to help our guests enter the annual Feast Day at St. James – A Christmas Dinner for the Homeless. About 160 guests attended.

Homeless guests and veteran volunteers recognizing one another with a warm greeting, walked arm in arm to the table for the celebration. The delicious food prepared by our talented cafeteria staff was promptly served.    Jovial banter among homeless friends was overheard.  Bishops Hall was abuzz with chatter, laughter and over it all could be heard the beautiful holiday music of “The James Gang,” our contemporary service band. Occasional singing along with the music added the festive touch.

After three years of serving our homeless neighbors in the We Care, 5^th Sunday, and Christmas Dinner ministries, it has become evident that those who cannot always count on a bed to sleep in every night and three hot meals every day know that they can trust the parishioners of St. James to assist them.  This earned trust makes our church community, in the minds of our nomadic neighbors, part of the caring ministry of helping the homeless in Baton Rouge.

What have we learned as we participated in this serving ministry? We have learned that we are not here to judge the homeless or anyone for that matter. We have heard and are focusing on the message of The Greatest Teacher who delivered The Great Commandment.  We are here to love our neighbor, not to judge our neighbor.

We have learned to reach out with loving care to the person who is for whatever reason not able to have the life that we have and often forget to appreciate.  We have also observed that despite their situation, whatever it may be, they have learned to appreciate existence in the most basic sense of that word.  Again, something we often take for granted.  We are realigning our priorities as we serve our homeless neighbors.  They are learning about trust and agape love.

We can each ask ourselves:  What does it take for me to be happy?  Is all that I think I need really what I need or just what I want?  Why do I want it? Where exactly is true happiness to be found? We will continue to ask and continue to harvest the answers from the profound and passionate truths found in this ministry. Service in this ministry changes the giver and the receiver.

If  we, who have a life of physical, mental, and emotional comfort look into the faces of these who have little security in any of this,  the Christ in our hearts is reaching  out to the Christ in their and  we are both at “Home”.

Thank you who were among the 86+ volunteers:

Alice Nelson, Bahin Leonard, Barbara Sims, Judy Foil, Susan Ozier, John Ozier, Betsy Toups, Helen Campbell, Cooper Harrell, Todd Turpen, Maggie Westbrook, Claire Westbrook, Scott Westbrook, Marcia Campbell, Robin DiNapoli, Tom DiNapoli, Margaret Blades, Clayton Blades, Gerry Sulzer, Lubna Culbert, Pat Price, Hickey Poirrier, Lou Ellis, Randy East, Allen Paterson, Katherine Martin, BiBi Stirling, Weldon Furr, Susie Furr,  Annie Furr, Joey Furr, Craig Rhodes, Jeannie Frey Rhodes, Martha Rhodes,  Betsy Harper, Hank Harper, Don Bell, Eva Bell, George Clark, George Clark, !V, Colin Clark, Melanie Clark, Shannon Murphy, Monica Murphy, Sean Murphy, Brian Murphy, Gail Vidrine, George Vidrine, Mildred Taylor, Barbara Bearden, Ed Henderson, Chuck Munro, Danielle Munro, James Munro, Arthur Perkins, Chuck Oliver, Mary Oliver, Kate Oliver, Susie Heroman, Elizabeth Whitley, Stephanie Levert, Susan Smithburg, Hunter Smithburg, Rolando Smithburg, Christopher Smithburg, Ashley Frey, Fred Kroenke, Moira Fontenot, Colin Fontenot, Mike Fontenot, Debbie Galland, Julie McCall, Andrea Mayers, Aaron Mayers,  Richard Tannehill, Suzette Tannehill, George Murrell, Charlotte Murrell, Mae Amanda Murrell, Lisa Baker, Ralph Howe, Suzette Howe, Alyce Howe, Debbie Taylor, Sue Larisey, Jennie Price,  Janet Rowan, Emily Wood, Becky Wood, and several dozen walk-ons whose names we do not have and anyone we may have accidentally omitted. 

Also, we most sincerely appreciate the talented staff of Mary Davis Palms, Dietician, our wonderful security staff Sgt. Landry and Sgt. Chad, our sextons, William Whitley and Cullen Anderson.

Continue a Peaceful Waiting as we long to Celebrate Christ’s Birth in Our Hearts,

Nancy Jo and Alice