Greta Samwel: LOCAL COLUMN: Looking forward to the holidays

Dec. 1—Advent, which begins in a matter of days, is a season celebrated in most Christian denominations as a time of anticipation of Christmas.

Its history dates from at least the fifth century, and was formalized in the West by Gregory the Great in the late sixth century. In many countries, an Advent Calendar was used to count the days leading up to Christmas Day.

I remember as a kid, receiving a paper calendar from my grandmother — and eagerly opening the little "doors" to reveal pictures of toys, candies, pastries, etc. As an adult, I visited Europe — and was quite taken by Advent in Vienna. The very large city hall in that Austrian city has many windows. Each day, one of those windows is illuminated with a winter scene. It's something to see. The grounds in front of that building host a Christmas market, a European tradition enjoyed by all.

But preparation for the holiday includes more than calendars and carnivals. In church last weekend, I listened to the words of Matthew, about our responsibilities to "feed the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the sick, visit the imprisoned...." I don't think Matthew was laying on a guilt trip; rather, he was commenting on what — in his opinion — were guidelines on how we might lead more socially responsible lives. (In a strictly religious sense, these might be things to consider in anticipation of a last judgement.)

In the "feed the hungry" category, there's a lot of evidence that Norman's citizens step right up. Using resource lists prepared by McFarlin Memorial United Methodist Church and the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (a Catholic support organization), I counted a number of organizations offering prepared meals (Food and Shelter, the Salvation Army, McFarlin Methodist Church, Meals on Wheels), and many more operating food pantries (the Share Center at Food and Shelter, Adventist Community Services, Alameda Baptist Church, Alameda Church of Christ, Mission Norman, LifeSpring Church, etc.).

"Clothing the naked" has many supporters (First Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church, Seventh Day Adventist, Saint Joseph's Thrift Shop, etc.). Assistance in "healing the sick" comes in many forms. Certainly, the Cleveland County Health Department plays a significant role — particularly when it comes to preventative measures. Two agencies that I'm aware of are worthy of note (my opinion): Mary Abbott Children's House offers intervention services for child abuse victims; Variety Care helps uninsured/underinsured with preventative medicine, pediatrics, geriatrics, dental health, mental health, etc. (I have a friend who recently escorted a homeless individual to Variety Care. He raved to me about the quality of care offered that person — from the way that individual was greeted to the patience shown him regrading treatments given. My friend opined that he had rarely been treated as well by his own healthcare provider.)

Under the heading of "visit prisoners" comes the subject of legal aid. Here again, there are a number of services available — from Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, the OU Legal Clinic, the Salvation Army, and the Women's Resource Center. Rent/Utility/Financial assistance is available from the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, Food and Shelter, Catholic Charities, Mission Norman, etc. Transportation: free service on regular EMBARK routes (curb-to-curb service for the elderly/disabled is also available) , Care-a Vans (transportation for the unhoused), the Kiwanis Cruiser (aged 60 and up). The First Baptist Church offers refurbished bicycles to Cleveland County residents.

I've mentioned a lot of organizations in these few short paragraphs — but there are many, many more. The McFarlin Resource List is four pages long. For that complete list, go to Pantry Page-Norman on Facebook. (Most of the services listed on the Saint Vincent de Paul list I mentioned are included on McFarlin's list.)

One shining example of Norman's heart is manifest in the annual Community Thanksgiving Meal, hosted by Food and Shelter at Norman High. It's been my practice to help out at that event, and last Thanksgiving was no exception. I know that Sunny and Jessica worked for weeks to get ready for this event. Over a thousand meals were prepared — 300 plus for delivery to homebound individuals. Helpers in the preparation and meal service included individuals from Life Church, Saint John's Episcopal Church, Saint Thomas More University Parish and the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints. Individuals representing other faiths helped as well.

So — "It's Advent time in Oklahoma." Matthew gave us some advice to ponder; upon some reflection Norman measures up. But there's more to do — particularly regarding our homeless population. No answers today, just questions on how to apply Matthew's words. It's a challenge facing our fair city, and something to ponder as we look forward to the holiday season.