What Mary and Elizabeth Teach Us About Embracing Children in Our Community

Advent is a season of waiting and preparation, a time to ready our hearts for the extraordinary gift of Christ. This journey of preparation finds a beautiful parallel in the Gospel of Luke, in the story of Mary and Elizabeth. Their meeting, filled with joy and expectation, reminds us of the sacredness of connection, the power of hope, and the importance of nurturing the next generation.

In Luke 1:39–45, Mary, newly carrying the promise of Christ, visits Elizabeth, who herself is miraculously expecting John the Baptist. Elizabeth’s child leaps in her womb as she recognizes Mary’s role in God’s plan, and together, the women celebrate the promises God has fulfilled and the promises yet to come.

A Story of Hope and Preparation

Mary and Elizabeth embody the spirit of Advent. Their shared joy in God’s faithfulness is a model for how we can live in hopeful expectation, even when the path ahead is uncertain. Mary, a young woman bearing the Savior, and Elizabeth, older and long barren, show us that God works through people of all ages to bring about redemption and grace.

Their story calls us to reflect on how we prepare for Christ in our lives today. How do we recognize the promise of God in our midst? How do we support and uplift one another as we wait? And how do we, like Mary and Elizabeth, nurture the children and future generations entrusted to us?

Mary and Elizabeth Teach Us to Care for Children

At Family of Faith, our commitment to children reflects the heart of the Advent story. Just as Mary and Elizabeth nurtured the lives they carried, we are called to nurture the children in our community—not only the children in our church family but those throughout Akron who need love, care, and support.

This Advent, we embrace our mission to provide for children and families by meeting their physical and spiritual needs. Whether through food donations, resources for struggling families, or creating spaces where children feel safe and loved, these acts of care reflect the hope and promise of Christ.

Our worship series, "Come, Let Us Adore Him", invites us to see Christ not only in the manger but in the faces of the children among us. Their laughter, questions, and wonder remind us of the joy and possibility that Christ brings. By serving and supporting them, we prepare the way for Christ’s presence in our community.

Embracing the Spirit of Mary and Elizabeth

Mary and Elizabeth teach us the power of connection and the importance of sharing joy, even in challenging times. This Advent, as we light the candles of hope, peace, joy, and love, we are called to embody their spirit—uplifting one another, nurturing the next generation, and preparing our hearts and lives for Christ.

Through worship, service, and acts of care, we step into the story of Mary and Elizabeth, finding Christ in the relationships we nurture and the children we support. Their story invites us to embrace the Advent season with hearts full of hope, hands ready to serve, and a deep commitment to seeing Christ in one another.