Joy, Love, Peace & Hope: Parkview Provides Community Support During Advent

It’s been a busy few weeks for Parkview Church in Palm Coast heading into the Advent season.

Hosting their annual Wiseman Gift Extravaganza the first weekend of December followed by the drive thru Palm Coast Living Nativity this past weekend, it’s all about spreading the gospel and ensuring those in need are loved and cared for this holiday season, both materially and spiritually.

“This was larger than last year but not largest. Pre-COVID we were up to 500 kids,’ she said. “Then last year we scaled the program back and didn’t shop. This year we let the kids provide their wishes/needs/interests and the families in our church and community members adopted families and shopped for them,” she said.

Pastor Greg Peters spent time speaking to the recipients and shared the stories from families picking up gifts for their loved ones.

“I went from station to station and got story after story. One mom of three had recently lost a child, one woman was raising 10 kids, and several times over grandparents who are raising grandkids – all of them with such gratitude for the gifts of Christmas,” said Peters.

“To me it is the perfect trifecta: not just 3 gifts received that are in honor of gold, frankincense and myrrh; but the other trifecta is trying to figure out who gets the biggest smile- the parent, the volunteer or the child,” he said.

“Wiseman Gift Extravaganza is a day where the Christmas spirit is fully alive at Parkview. Our people absolutely never tire of being generous to the kids of Flagler County.”

While Parkview Church makes an effort to tend to the physical needs of families in the community, church leaders also spend time focusing on the spiritual needs of the community, as well.

Each week throughout the month of December during Advent, which began on November 29th, Parkview Church will offer a message from the sermon series entitled “He Shall Be Called” based around Isaiah 9:6, according to Pastor Greg Peters, opening week one with “Wonderful Counselor”.

“As we focus this season around Advent we’re looking at the first coming of Christ back at that which was prophesized in Isiah 9:6, and we look forward to his second coming. The in-between is where we live now, which is why we pause, reflect and celebrate Advent,” said Peters, offering a reminder to step outside of the ‘Christmas crazy’ and reflect on the true reason for the season, the birth of Christ with a simple message from Psalm 46:10 – “Be still and know that I am God.”