Mennonite Weekly Review

MILFORD, Neb. — When a small church decides to look at Christmas differently, lives are changed. That’s what Dave Miller, pastor of Bellwood Mennonite Church, believes.

Tim Troyer built a well that was placed at Bellwood Mennonite Church to remind members of their mission of raising money for wells in Mozambique.

This year Bellwood joined Advent Conspiracy, a movement started in 2006 by three pastors hoping to convince Christians to live the true meaning of Christmas. It’s up to the church to exercise its creativity in letting Scripture tell the Christmas story instead of sitting back and letting consumerism tell it.

Advent Conspiracy promotes four main ideas: worship fully, spend less, give more and love all. Miller used the four Sundays of Advent to preach a message on each of the four themes.

“Too often Christians fall into the whole trap of consumerism during this time of year,” Miller said. “While retailers are worshiping the almighty dollar, Christians are to be worshiping the almighty newborn king.”

The goal of Advent Conspiracy is to focus on the manger rather than materialism, Miller said.

Bellwood’s faith family was encouraged to make worship a priority and to spend less money on gift buying. The church also promoted purchases from Ten Thousand Villages and other Fair Trade organizations.

Congregants wore blue silicone bracelets that said “Advent Conspiracy” as reminders of their countercultural efforts. Giving more meant celebrating relationships by being creative in giving gifts of presence, hands, words and time.

The exercise also gave participants a chance to move closer to those in need, especially the 1.6 billion people worldwide without access to clean water, including 3,900 children who die every day from water-borne illnesses.

The congregation focused on contributing to Mennonite Central Committee for the building of clean water wells in Mozambique. Throughout Advent a well in the back of the worship center pumped water, reminding members of their mission. The church’s drinking fountain was turned off on the last Sunday of Advent to create solidarity with those in need.

The congregation of 130 worshipers gave $22,036 to provide wells for clean drinking water.

Through Advent Conspiracy the congregation came to believe Christmas can still change the world today.