by Marcia Wittmann, Food Ministry

Sunday, January 4, was a special day at Westminster Presbyterian Church, an “intercultural, open and affirming, social justice congregation” serving the City of Trenton. The 19th Annual Three Kings Day service honored the traditions of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Dia de los Reyes in a joyous celebration led by the dynamic Pastora Karen Hernández-Granzen.

The UUCWC Food Ministry team’s involvement began last fall when Pastora Karen attended one of the ministry’s monthly meetings, a first step toward building a partnership. During a discussion of how Food Ministry could support Westminster, Pastora Karen described the Three Kings Day service and proposed that Food Ministry provide snack bags for the children participating in the event.

On December 21, after the beautiful Christmas pageant, Julie Rigano coordinated an event in which children, their parents, and Food Ministry members assembled 175 snack bags containing fruit cups, granola bars, holiday treats, and juice boxes. This joyful collaborative effort, made possible by so many, connected UUCWC families with the Westminster congregation.

Seven members of the Food Ministry attended the January 4 service and were warmly welcomed by Pastora Karen and the congregation. They were treated to a multicultural, multilingual experience focused on children and the child in all of us.

A few highlights included “Silent Night,” sung or spoken in English, German, Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, and French, and signed in Makaton; a skit, “The Star Still Leads,” performed by young performers from the Sprout U School of the Arts; and a praise dance, “Take Me to the King.”

The Food Ministry team hopes to build on this rewarding first step and to forge an ongoing partnership with Westminster Presbyterian Church to support its vital urban ministry.