CONSPIRACY THEORIES

Conspire to take back the holidays

Do you like a good conspiracy? Ever wonder what it would be like to join one? Here’s your invitation …

The Advent Conspiracy is underway. You can renew Christmas by undermining what undermines Christmas. It’s a spiritual “Occupy Christmas” movement.

Many Christians order their days by observing a calendar of worship that owes more to the life of Christ than to the Roman moon. The year begins four Sundays before Christmas with Advent, carries through the seasons of Christmas, Epiphany and Lent during the winter and early spring, reaches a high point at Easter through Pentecost, and then coasts through Ordinary Time all summer and fall until starting over again at Advent.

Ordinarily, Advent is a season of preparation for Christmas during which Christians make themselves ready again to welcome God’s surprising and transforming presence in their lives through the coming of Christ. The gift of Christ’s presence has called for the gifts of presents in response. Like the magi from the East who came bearing gifts for the Christ child, we give gifts to one another as signs of love and gratitude.

But somewhere along the way, merchants hijacked this tradition, turning it into retail heaven, and thereby making wholesale changes to the meaning.

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The Advent Conspiracy wants to bring back the spiritual simplicity of Christmas without any Scrooge-like sneering. Over the four weeks leading up to Dec. 25, you may join others in this subversive act of insurrection. Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More, Love All: These four movements build upon one another and lead to a more glorious experience at the manger.

Worship Fully. If you make worship your first priority, you are putting God first. Worship focuses our heart’s affection and our mind’s attention on the God who is alone worthy of it. Going to church (and if you are not a Christian, adapt here at will) in- oculates you against the commercial allure of the mall. It fills you up spiritually so that you have no need and no room to add unfulfilling idols of material things to your life.

Spend Less. I know this sounds unAmerican right now, what with a fragile economy that needs you to heed the siren call to spend as if it’s your patriotic duty. It’s not. My guess is that you will spend enough, even if you join this conspiracy. But spend less: one less unneeded sweater, one less soon-to-be forgotten Best Buy gift card, one less coffee mug to go with a collection of past Starbucks Christmases.

Give More. Saving by spending less may be a good place to stop ordinarily, but Christmas is not Ordinary Time — it is a season for giving. Now you have more to give elsewhere. Where? To a mission enterprise locally or around the world that will change the lives of needy people more than that one less gift given to loved ones. But at the same time, give something more and different and better to loved ones. Make a gift. Give yourself in some way: time promised, a service rendered, the present of presence. Love All. Here’s the big one. When you get this far, you might be feeling good about yourself. But the gift of the Christ child was God’s message of love for all. God didn’t choose favorites; God favored all. So whom do you need to love that hasn’t yet fallen under your category of “all”? Could be a family member who is hard to love. Could be a coworker or immigrant or politician or anyone else who is “other” to you. When you make a move toward that person or those persons this Advent, you conspire to usurp hatred and prejudice in the name of God’s love.

Conspiracy theories are usually nonsense. This one makes good sense.

LISTEN TO AN INTERVIEW WITH THE REV. GEORGE MASON explaining why his church has joined the Advent Conspiracy movement, and how congregants are putting its tenets into practice. Visit lakewood.advocatemag.com/podcast.

The Vickery Place Centennial Home Tour sold a record 550 tickets for the event held in October. Tour organizer Debbie Simurda declined to say how much money the tour raised, but that it “did exceed our expectations.” The neighborhood association will use the money to buy street-sign toppers for the neighborhood. Their current sign toppers are more than 20 years old and bleached from the sun. The association also will make donations to Animal Rescue of Texas and James B. Bonham Elementary School, which was the original Vickery Place School, built before 1920.

People

Neighborhood resident Keith Price is the new head of one of the city’s biggest nonprofit homeless shelters, Austin Street Centre. Price has been involved with The Stewpot for the past few years, and he replaces the Rev. Beulah “Bubba” Dailey, who worked at Austin Street for 28 years.

Lakewood resident Bryan Wetz moved his Rising Gallery from North Henderson to downtown, and had a grand reopening last month with the exhibit “Galileo’s Garden,” comprising paintings and sculpture from Denver-based husband-and-wife Monica and TylerAiello

The show runs through Dec. 31. Wetz and his brother TaberWetz operated the gallery on Henderson for almost three years before moving to 800 Jackson Street.

Volunteer

Vickery Meadow Learning Center needs volunteers to teach English to the non-English-speaking residents of Vickery Meadow, a low-income neighborhood near East Dallas. Some 20 languages are spoken among the approximately 36,000 residents of the 2.86-square-mile community. Orientation times are noon-2:30 p.m. Dec. 5, noon-2:30 p.m. Dec. 14, 9-11:30 a.m. or 6:30-9 p.m. Jan. 5, noon-2:30 p.m. Jan. 9. They are held at the west Dallas location, 1018 Gallagher. To get involved, call 214.265.5057 ext. 201 or email volunteer@vmlc.org.

HAVE AN ITEM TO BE FEATURED?

Please submit news items and/or photos concerning neighborhood residents, activities, honors and volunteer opportunities to editor@advocatemag.com. Our deadline is the first of the month prior to the month of publication.

‘Bigs’ helping ‘littles’

The Big Brothers Big Sisters Black Tie Gala fundraiser in October raised about $500,000. More than 200 volunteers (“Bigs”) hail from East Dallas, and about 25 of the “Littles” live in our neighborhood. Pictured: Supporters Kirby Schlegel , Jalin Wood , Troy and Kari Kloewer , Kimberly and Justin Whitman , Krystal Schlegel , Matt Cain , Myrna Schlegel , Dr. Mary Collings and Bob Schlegel.

BSUBMIT YOUR PHOTO. Email a jpeg to editor@advocatemag.com.

CLASSES/TUTORING/ LESSONS

ADHD TEST PREP & TUTORING Dedicated 1 on 1

Test-Taking Prep & Tutoring exclusively for ADD/ADHD & alternative learners. Free Consult & 1st week tutoring. Outstanding References. Yale ‘93. Anthony 214-484-4488

ART: Draw or Paint. All Levels. Lake Highlands N. Rec. Ctr. Jane Cross, 214-534-6829. Linda, 214-808-4919.

ARTISTIC GATHERINGS

Art Classes For All Ages. Casa Linda Plaza. 214-821-8383. www.artisticgatherings.com

JEWELRY MAKING CLASSES

214-824-2777 www.beadsofsplendor.com

Lakewood Shopping center: 1900 Abrams Pkwy @ La Vista

LEARN GUITAR OR PIANO Professional musician. Fun/Easy. Your Home. UNT Grad. Larry 469-358-8784

TUTORING All Subjects. Elem-middle School. Algebra 1, Dmath. Your Home. 25 + Yrs. Dr. J. 214-535-6594. vsjams@att.net

UKULELE LESSONS Instruments, Workshops. www.UkeLadyMusic.com 214-924-0408

VOICE TEACHER with 38 years experience. MM, NATS www.PatriciaIvey.com 214-769-8560

WE GET PEOPLE PLAYING TENNIS

Not Standing in Lines. Samuell Grand Tennis Center offers Kids and Adult Classes, Drills, Leagues, and Private Lessons. Call 214-670-1374 to Sign Up or go to www.samuellgrandtennis.com

214.560.4203

Sisters in art

Sisters Lynn Reagan and Elizabeth “Sissy” Bingham created a mirrored sculpture, “Timeless,” that was displayed in the Friends of Lottie Sculpture Garden at the State Fair of Texas. Reagan and Bingham run the AB Rockin’ Artists studio in Little Forest Hills.

CLASSES/TUTORING/ LESSONS

Business Opportunities

I’M LOOKING FOR A BILINGUAL BUSINESS PARTNER for expansion of 55-yr.-old start-up co. BJ Ellis 214-226-9875

Services For You

Spanish

Childcare

LOVING, CHRIST-CENTERED CARE SINCE 1982 Lake Highlands Christian Child Enrichment Center Ages 2 mo.-12 yrs. 9919 McCree. 214-348-1123.

Employment

INFANT & TODDLER TEACHERS NEEDED FOR 2011-12 Mother’s Day Out. Early childhood experience preferred. Shannon McGee 214-860-1520 or skmcgee@pcbc.org

TEACHER NEEDED for Park Cities Baptist Preschool. Teacher needed in three-year-olds classroom on M/W/F. Degree or certification in Early Childhood required, appx. 12 hrs. per wk. Contact Farrai Smith, 214-860-1564 or fssmith@pcbc.org

AT ODDS WITH YOUR COMPUTER? Easily Learn Essential Skills. Services include Digital Photo Help. Sharon 214-679-9688 CONFUSED? FRUSTRATED? Let A Seasoned Pro Be The Interface Between You & That Pesky Computer. Hardware & Software Installation, Troubleshooting, Training. $60/hr. 1 hr min. Dan 214-660-3733 or stykidan@sbcglobal.net

SIGNS: Nameplates, Badges, Office, Braille. A&G Engraving. 214-324-1992. getasign@att.net agengraving.vpweb.com custom photo cards holiday e-cards address labels & stamps gift stickers

Professional Services

ACCOUNTING, TAXES Small Businesses & Individuals. Chris King, CPA 214-824-5313 www.chriskingcpa.com

BOOKKEEPING NEEDS? Need Help Organizing Finances? No Job Too Small or Big. Call C.A.S Accounting Solutions. Cindy 214-821-6903

ESTATE/PROBATE MATTERS Because every family needs a will. Mary Glenn, J.D. maryglennattorney.com

• 214-802-6768

HOME ORGANIZING And Help With Senior Moving Plans/ Solutions. Donna 860-710-3323 DHJ0807@aol.com. $30 hr.

Bringing the heat

The Heat basketball team won the Sportsplex sixth-grade division endof-season championship, defeating the Tigers and Saxons. The Heat team is comprised of players from local schools including St. Bernard and St. Thomas Catholic schools. Pictured from left: Cole Beach , Daniel Packard , Matthew Best , Davis Peck , Josh Garza , Zak Zapletal , Ryan Rodriguez and Michael Bradley (not pictured is Alex Olmedo ). Coaches are Doug Bradley , Doug Best and Ted Zapletal

Lighting up the arts

Peninsula Neighborhood residents recently made a generous contribution to the Bath House Cultural Center theater, providing $18,000 to upgrade the center’s stage lighting system with the purchase of 16 LED lights and related equipment. Pictured clockwise from the top: Theresa Furphy , Bath House Cultural Center technical director; Felix Saucedo , Friends of the Bath House Cultural Center treasurer; Karen Casey , Friends of the Bath House Cultural Center president; Joe Gillum , Peninsula Neighborhood Association president; Judith Trimble , Friends of the Bath House Cultural Center secretary; Marty Van Kleeck , Bath House Cultural Center manager. Photo by Anna Palmer , Friends of the Bath House Cultural Center board member.

TO A D VERTISE CALL 214.560.4203

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

STEVESWINESHOP.COM

HAND-CRAFTED ARTISAN WINES Call today for in-home wine tastings. We offer personalized Wine Labels & Gifts 214-998-1217

Website Design Flash Demos

Graphic Design

RibbitMultimedia .com 214.560.4207

MIND, BODY & SPIRIT

LA DOLCE VITA NUTRITION EDUCATION & COACHING

Customized nutrition programs for individuals, families and businesses. CatLaDolceVita.com 214-228-9056

SILVER STAR FITNESS Specialty In Senior Fitness. Moneyback Guarantee. www.silverstarfitness.com John 972-800-8031