As we pass through these difficult times as a ministry, we are committed to our mission to be the compassionate presence of Jesus to one another. We remember that Jesus called for people to love their neighbors as themselves, encouraging us to see everyone as our neighbor. Through his inclusive definition of neighbor, Jesus calls us to contribute to the common good. One way to contribute to the good of the larger community is through practices that promote joy. Joy is a deep, abiding appreciation and acceptance of God’s love for us, a love that brings peace, gratitude, and hope, even in times of adversity and loss. This activity promotes practices to increase joy in the lives of those in our community.

Extending the compassionate ministry of Jesus calls for joy.

In the Judeo-Christian tradition, God brings glad tidings to the poor, proclaims liberty to captives, gives sight to the blind, and lets oppressed people go free. In scripture, the good news of God’s love was never an isolated experience for the individual but was bound up with the well-being of others. The joy Jesus proclaimed and embodied in his public ministry and through his death and resurrection was a joy he wanted all people to experience and share, especially people who were poor, vulnerable, and marginalized. The joy God offers us continues to be a joy bound up with the well-being and the flourishing of others. Being joy-filled people can help us to contribute to the common good of our communities. Embodying joy is particularly important in these challenging times.

· Part of our calling to this ministry is to spread joy to others. In this short 6 min. video Amanda Gore shares 12 ways to do that: 12 Secrets to Creating Joy in the Workplace

· Enjoy Sr. Doris Gottemoeller’s wonderful article: Finding Joy in Ministry

· As a health care ministry, we can experience pain each day through our relationships with our patients and co-workers. How can we find joy in pain? Dr. Brené Brown clearly expresses Why Experiencing Joy and Pain in a Group is so Powerful.

o Collective Joy

o Collective Pain

o Inextricable Connection

o Courage and the Collective

· John Horn gives us 12 wonderful suggestions on how to bring joy into the workplace: 12 Ways to Bring More Joy to the Workplace

· A short prayer service on The Joy of Service