{"id":1244,"date":"2019-12-05T14:57:13","date_gmt":"2019-12-05T14:57:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.presbyterianmission.org\/weekly-offerings\/?p=1244"},"modified":"2019-12-05T14:57:13","modified_gmt":"2019-12-05T14:57:13","slug":"christmas-joy-it-made-a-huge-difference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/centernet.pcusa.org\/weekly-offerings\/2019\/12\/05\/christmas-joy-it-made-a-huge-difference\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas Joy: It Made a Huge Difference"},"content":{"rendered":"

Car Accident Brings Woes<\/h4>\n

After her car went flying off the road and rolled over in a stubbled cornfield, first responders believed the accident had taken the life of the Rev. Shelley Wiley. She had fallen unconscious while driving because of an epileptic seizure, a condition that had been diagnosed years earlier and, until her accident, had been under control. The good news is that she recovered and her new medication works well, but Ohio law requires people who suffer seizures to cease driving for six months.<\/p>\n

Rev. Wiley worried that her inability to drive would compromise her efforts to serve the congregation she pastored at that time, Honey Creek Presbyterian Church in\u00a0 New Carlisle, Ohio. How would she be able to connect with the people she loved?\u00a0 Six months seemed like such a long time.<\/p>\n

Assistance Program Provides Support<\/h4>\n
\"\"

Rev. Shelley Wiley<\/p><\/div>\n

While she struggled with how she might adapt, the Presbytery of the Miami Valley suggested a plan to pay drivers to take her to work-related duties \u2014 church,\u00a0 presbytery meetings and pastoral visits \u2014 at the same rate as Uber drivers in the area. It involved a shared grant between the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions, the presbytery, and her congregation. Gifts to the Christmas Joy Offering support the Assistance Program, which helps current and past church leaders and their families who are in critical financial need.<\/p>\n

What a relief, and a blessing.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople who spent a lot of time driving me talked about how good it had been for them to get uninterrupted time to sit in the car with the pastor, chat and get to know each other better personally,\u00a0 and have occasional conversations about theology,\u00a0 polity and the future of this small church,\u201d Wiley said.<\/p>\n

One driver discovered a passion for ministry with homebound church members. She became an elder and coordinates the congregation\u2019s ministry with these members.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe found a whole new ministry for herself visiting with shut-ins,\u201d Wiley said. \u201cShe\u00a0 discovered she loved it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Christmas Joy Allows Ministry to Happen<\/h4>\n

Rev. Wiley said she had long known about the Assistance Program and the critical help it provides, but her experience helped her see another dimension of the program\u2019s usefulness.<\/p>\n

\u201cCentral in my mind as to why give to the Christmas Joy Offering is that it is going to allow ministry to happen, and you just never know what that ministry is going to be,\u201d she explained. \u201cThe church I was serving is a small church, and it didn\u2019t have a lot of\u00a0 reserve funds. It really made a huge difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

And isn\u2019t that what we always say: \u201cWhen we all do a little, it adds up to a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Let Us Pray<\/h4>\n

In Jesus the world received\u00a0 your perfect gift,\u00a0 your presence with humanity. May the gifts we share be with those who need creative support to continue their ministry and live out their call. Amen.<\/p>\n

Join Us<\/h4>\n

For more information and resources related to the Christmas Joy Offering, visit presbyterianmission.org\/christmasjoy<\/a>.
\n<\/u> This post is based on the Minute for Mission script which can be found on our\u00a0website<\/a>\u00a0as a\u00a0script<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Please give generously to the Offering:<\/p>\n