Bethany member Kathryn Heath Boyd loves the “Christmas Eve Jingle” and all that it stands for. This is a practice that started in England in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. [Bethany learned of it and launched it locally in 2021.] People observe it worldwide at 6:00 PM (local time) by gathering outside to ring bells, reminding everyone that we are not alone, we can be together and we can fill the world with hope and togetherness.
Because Kathryn felt that she could make a difference for Bethany and the surrounding community by sharing the “Christmas Eve Jingle,” Monday, December 23rd was her day of sharing. Nga Chau and several other Bethany members helped her prepare the bells by placing a little tag on each one that contained the quotation from Micah 6:8—
“Seek Justice
Show Kindness
Walk Humbly With Your God.
A Good Way To Live Your Life”
Beneath the quote, was contact information for Bethany. On the reverse side of the tag was information on the purpose of the bell.
Kathryn and Jackie Sneed took bells into the community to invite people to our Christmas Eve service and to do the “Christmas Eve Jingle.” Many bells were left on the windowsills and porches of those who were not home but we did speak to a number of our neighbors.
One woman began her conversation by expressing equal concern for the homeless and some misgivings about the inconvenience she experiences when cars back up into the neighborhood on the SSIP Food Closet senior food distribution days. As she spoke, her compassion for the homeless and hungry grew stronger than her concerns about the inconveniences. Kathryn and Jackie informed her that SSIP serves 17,000 people a month and thanked her for her willingness to be inconvenienced on distribution days. She reminded us and herself that Jesus stated that when we feed the hungry, we feed him.
People told us “God bless you,” and one neighbor made plans to ring his bell with family members during their Christmas Eve party. We met another man as he was exiting his car, and he apologized for not having a donation for us. We assured him that the bell has a gift and accepting it was a blessing to Bethany.
The one neighbor who turned down the gift did so with the suggestion that we give it to a couple down the street since the couple may appreciate it. The refusal was done with courtesy and consideration for neighbors, not in a rude or angry manner.
Kathryn and Jackie learned that we have friendly, considerate neighbors residing on streets with well-maintained homes.
Let’s do it again next year. Instead of the 30 bells that were distributed this year, let’s do at least 100. What would it be like, if we step onto Bethany’s front steps at 6:00 next Christmas Eve and ring our bells along with 100 local households? Hope and togetherness in practice!
—Jacquelyn Sneed
