Lay members of Burnips UMC sparked an inaugural Christmas tree-lighting event in rural Allegan County, bringing a community together in the spirit of Christmas.
JAMES DEATON
Content Editor
It was a scene reminiscent of a Hallmark Channel movie, in all the good ways. On December 7, over 150 members of Burnips, Michigan, spent time together enjoying a community Christmas tree lighting. It was a first for this small town.
The Christmas spirit was palpable that night, and the fire barn in the center of town was aglow with holiday activities. They had hot cocoa and freshly brewed coffee, sweet goodies, fun crafts, children dancing to Christmas carols, Santa Claus making an appearance, a toy drive for local foster children, and families laughing and reconnecting.
Kelly Sapp, a young adult member of Burnips United Methodist Church, was inspired to create this community event after Pastor Craig Van Beek challenged the congregation to consider ways to bring people together to counter the division and hatred we often witness in our world. His desire to stop this rancor and work toward unity is a primary motivation for his ministry.
Sapp grew up in Burnips, an unincorporated area of Salem Township in Allegan County, about 25 miles southwest of Grand Rapids. She and her husband have been coming to Burnips UMC for about two years. She loves the church, the friends she’s made there, and her community. She also loves Christmas, and the idea for a holiday-themed tree-lighting event came to her.
“Other towns have events like this,” wondered Sapp, “so why doesn’t Burnips do something? We’re such a tight-knit community. Plus, it’s Christmastime, and people just want to be together. This event could do that, and bring happiness. I want people to be overfilled with joy.”
Friends at church told Sapp to talk to Pastor Van Beek and other church leaders, believing they’d love the idea. Pastor Van Beek encouraged her to pursue it and helped connect her to key community leaders. The township board and the fire department unanimously supported her and the team of volunteers by her side. The fire department agreed to host the community event and string thousands of lights on a giant evergreen tree beside the fire barn.
“The township board was awesome,” noted Sapp. “Basically, they said to let them know what we needed and how they could help. Everyone was on board. I think they knew this would bring people together, something for the whole town to celebrate. It just sparks joy in everyone.”
To bolster community support and finance the event, Sapp and Pastor Van Beek visited local businesses and nonprofits. Van Beek is already actively involved in the community and started conversations as they knocked on doors, but Sapp gained confidence as they visited more places.
“I noticed Kelly pitching in more because it was her passion driving the event,” said Van Beek. “By the time we were halfway through, she was walking in and taking the lead about what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. It was great to watch someone with an idea develop the courage to step out. You could see her excitement when people said, ‘Yeah, I want to be a part of that!’”
Over 20 local businesses and organizations partnered with Burnips UMC to sponsor the Christmas tree-lighting event. Some gave money to pay for lights or other event costs, while others donated festive snacks or materials for tree ornament crafts for children. About thirty members of Burnips UMC, as well as others from the community, helped as volunteers.
The event was successful, surpassing the expectations of everyone involved. Both Sapp and Van Beek expressed gratitude to everyone in the community for embracing this new idea and backing it with heart and soul. The great attendance and positive energy that night were gifts.
“It just makes me so happy to see such a great turnout around Christmastime with people being together,” noted Sapp during the event. “Everyone is in a great mood and so joyful.”
Pastor Van Beek felt that the goals of creating space for human connection and focusing on the things in life and faith that hold us together and that we have in common were achieved. That, in essence, is the spirit of Christmas: the graciousness and openness Christ brings by coming to us.
“Whatever your denomination is,” said Van Beek, “we all can agree on Jesus as the Son of God and celebrate his birthday at Christmas. So, I wanted something that would invite people to sit, visit, and talk. And that’s really what happened. As people arrived, some were surprised to see others there. I heard, ‘I haven’t seen you in 20 years,’ and they got to catch up. We all came together that night, putting our differences aside, and celebrated Christmas.”
He concluded, “For a moment, we were one as a community. And I don’t know if we can put a price on that anymore. It’s priceless to be able to come together, to love one another, to accept one another, and to be able to celebrate Christmas. We’re from different denominations and walks of life, but there’s commonality in this celebration.”
So, what about next year? Sapp would love to do more. This year, they organized a manageable event, given it was their first, but she has big dreams and hopes they can one day host a community parade as part of a larger Christmas celebration. Pastor Van Beek would like to partner with more organizations, businesses, and nearby churches. If more people have a buy-in, they are likelier to claim a stake in its success, from beginning to end.
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Last Updated on December 18, 2024