3 minute read
THE KINDNESS ISSUE SPECIAL FEATURE
Faith in Kindness
by LYNDA BIRD
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“Be kind,” we are told by Dr. Bonny Henry.
What does it mean to be kind? According to Canadian Oxford Dictionary, kind means: showing friendliness, affection or consideration. During these last nineteen months of dealing with COVID-19, we have had opportunities to show kindness, but many of us are struggling to continue to make that effort day after day.
I believe people are inherently kind. Most of us do many kind things for our children, our friends, our parents and for society at large on a daily basis. I have often been the recipient of kindness when I am waiting in line at the grocery store with one or two items and someone ahead of me with a full shopping cart notices that I have very few items and offers to let me go through the check out before them. I have passed this kindness on to others in similar situations.
At Knox United Church, our mission statement is, “Open to the Spirit, love and justice, united in our diversity we live our faith serving each other and the wider community.”
Over many years, we, as a congregation, have been kind to each other in the running of our church. Many of our congregants have shown their kindness in giving their time, talents and money to help our church be a viable entity within Fernie. We have served on many church committees; raised needed funds; worked at teas and church suppers; arranged for professionals and helped to keep our Knox church building a usable space; we have welcomed people from Fernie and area as well as visitors to our various services, concerts, weddings, funerals, Celebrations
of Life and our Shared Ministry celebration in 2019. We have reached out to the Community of Fernie as a whole. We have participated in collecting and handing out baskets of food and presents to those less fortunate; we have taken part in preparing and handing out hot chocolate at the Christmas Train events; our choir has been part of the Christmas kick off campaign singing Christmas carols on Second Avenue; we have sung and provided Church services at Rocky Mountain Care Home; our “Knit and Natter” group has knit prayer shawls which have gone to people in our community and beyond who need that loving hug; We have participated in Chautauqua events and kept our building open to the public for viewing and learning about our history; we became an inclusive and affirming church by engaging with the community during the process.
We at Knox have also been the recipients of kindness from the community of Fernie. The people of Fernie have showed their kindness through their support of our dinners and teas; they have attended our services and donated money; many contractors and businesses have donated their expertise and/or their time to help us with our financial oversight; working on our roof, bell tower, boiler and furnaces to keep them all in working order. The people of Fernie have supported the arts in our presentations of musical groups, both instrumental and choral as well as small theatre productions by various renter groups.
It is due to all of us working together and showing kindness to one another that makes Fernie the wonderful, caring and vibrant community we have all come to love. ELK VALLEY FURNITURE
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