Province VIII
by Deacon Jane Jones
St. Columba’s Episcopal Church in Big Bear City, California, looks unassuming right now. It is quietly nestled into the mountainside, just off the road on the far side of Big Bear Lake. The parking lot behind and uphill from the church often sees critters skitter across…but, at an altitude of 6,500 feet, Heaven is just a bit closer than to the metropolis down the mountain.
The few major roads serve the seasonal visitors who come to ski, hike, bike, boat, and fish—hence the many rental opportunities, eateries, and shops. There is a seasonal ebb and flow to this idyllic place. But that ebb can also apply to the job market, and that can create hard times for some citizens.
Locals abide in surrounding areas, hobbits that are mostly quiet and woodsy. There are few traffic signals, and a single bridge dissects the lake. But at its core, Big Bear has a typical “small town heart” centered on its children, schools, churches, and neighbors. “Good neighbors and great heart” is the perfect formula for knowing the needs of fellow residents—especially concerning food, and especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas!
A Christian conscience cannot help but “share our bread with the hungry,” so years ago the local Society of Mary formed the Bear Valley Holiday Giving Collaborative, which was soon joined by other local churches, businesses, and organizations to create a single, incredibly efficient holiday service network.
St. Columba’s, now in the final stages of a major building program as well as COVID-19 restrictions that severely limited worship and attendance this past year, held nothing back in program participation. Linda Gilliam coordinated operations from the shell of a church office. Meanwhile, local businessman Jaymes Nordine did major shopping and legwork. Many others gladly assisted as needed.
This is how the local program works
- Early autumn: Start thinking about what needs to be done.
- The Collaborative sends notices of the coming holiday food program to the community via flyers, newspapers, shopping news, online, radio, fraternal organizations, and churches.
- Sign-up begins in early November at the Elks Lodge. Potential “clients” for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas must show proof of residency (a license or housing receipt). When accepted they are assigned a specific pickup locale (such as St. Columba’s), which allows each locale to know exactly who and how much to collect for and hand out. It is a more personal and orderly atmosphere than nameless walk-ins and prevents duplications. (Note: Homeless are eligible for other local assistance.)
Last year (2020) 190 family units were served in Big Bear Valley, 40 of them at St. Columba’s.
Collection: During the sign-up period, the collection of foodstuffs, gift certificates, and gifts begins at the church. Boxes, cans, and other things are neatly stacked wherever there is a place in all the construction.
The local Electric Company donated gift cards for meat, the Collaborative gave money to put in the food boxes, the Rotary gave gifts, and other locals contributed where needed. With all that was going on in the world, this was a warm, busy, heartwarming project to have. Special needs were handled in the community: The Jah Healing Church took care of its own, the American Legion cared for veterans, the Soroptimists took care of single mothers and children, and St. Joseph’s Catholic, the Lions Club, and Lutheran Social Services pitched in according to need. There was a determination that no one be overlooked.
It is a busy, happy time—church members coming and going, packing boxes, counting out supplies, wrapping gifts, laughing. Doing God’s work together. One of the rewards of participating is the recipients. They arrive with shy greetings and hesitant observations.
After checking in, each receives a food box: vegetables, gravy, yams, candy, potatoes, stuffing, various canned vegetables, pies, bread and rolls, butter…and a turkey. This food for some is more than a luxury.
Christmas sees the same people, now familiar, receive a bag of food and gifts. It is a cheery place with decorations and music. Maybe some will even return one day to worship with us.
St. Columba’s is part of a finely tuned community—business, church, neighbor—doing what needs to be done, year after year. St. Columba’s exemplifies the kind of giving that altitude, construction, pandemic, and blizzard will never impede…when you see a mother cry after receiving food for her family…or a small child’s delight at receiving a gift.