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Guest column: ‘More than true’…Christmas matters

Posted at 9:02 am December 24, 2014
By David Allred Leave a Comment

I had a talk not too long ago with a very intelligent person about Christian Christmas stories. He asked, “Surely you don’t actually believe that the Christmas story you preach really happened?” It was a question that I settled long ago, although it reminded me that many people still struggle with their faith around the holidays.

Even though there are probably some good reasons to ponder the “reality” of the Nativity story over the holidays, I honestly don’t even think about it anymore. I once read a quote that went something like, “The question is not always whether it is real, but whether it matters…the things that matter most become reality.”

Atheist Sam Harris has written about “tiny lies” and the cost they have on our culture. He even discusses Santa Claus, taking on a popular non-religious Christmas tradition as a form of deception. I see Harris, much like my friend, in a very “stuck” place. When we bring the wrong question to the table, we often feel the need to “force feed” answers. No one likes being force-fed.

When it comes to Santa, the question for families is not so much whether or not he and his reindeer troop are real; rather the question is whether or not he matters. Because if he matters, every family finds a way to make him real during the season. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Guest Columns, Opinion Tagged With: birth of Jesus, Christian Christmas, Christmas, Christmas story, Christmas tradition, David Allred, God, history, Jesus, Nativity, Nativity story, Sam Harris, Santa Claus, traditions

Pancakes with Santa fundraiser for CONTACT Care Line on Saturday

Posted at 11:42 pm December 4, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Santa

CONTACT Care Line is hosting a Pancakes with Santa fundraising event this Saturday, December 6, from 8 to 10 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church at 1350 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Santa Claus and Mrs. Santa will be there to greet children of all ages, and parents can take photos of their children with Santa, a press release said. Youth choirs will entertain the crowd with carols, and there will be plenty of merry elves serving pancakes with butter and syrup, bacon, fruit juices, hot chocolate, milk, and coffee too.

CONTACT is in its fifth decade serving people in need throughout East Tennessee, the press release said. Trained volunteers field nearly 19,000 critical support calls every year. Anderson County, where CONTACT is headquartered, has one of the lowest suicide rates in the state of Tennessee. However, suicide is on the rise in Tennessee and across the United States. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Health Tagged With: CONTACT, CONTACT Care Line, crisis line, First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge, fundraiser, mental illness, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Pancakes with Santa, Santa Claus, support calls

Anderson County Toy Run raises money for children at Christmas, helps them shop

Posted at 12:13 am December 15, 2013
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Santa Claus at Kmart

Submitted

Each year for 21 years, the Anderson County Toy Run has worked hard to raise funds for children at Christmas.

In February, there is a Chili Cook off; in April, June, and August, there are poker runs; and in October, there is a Parade Run and final effort to raise funds for that year.

Local churches help gather the list of the children, and at 7 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Oak Ridge Kmart and Clinton Walmart, 150 children were greeted by Santa Claus and volunteers and staff of the Anderson County Toy Run and local football teams, churches, and other organizations who helped the children shop. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Holidays 2013 Tagged With: Anderson County Toy Run, children, chili cook-off, Christmas, poker runs, Santa Claus

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Public Notice: NNSA announces no significant impact of Y-12 Development Organization operations at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

ADFAC seeks contractors for five homes

Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

Public notice: Draft environmental assessment for Y-12 Development Organization at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

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