*************************
Christmas and the Census
December 22nd will mark 100 days until Census Day (April 1st), providing an unprecedented opportunity to connect the 2010 census with the celebration of the birth of Jesus. The following language may be helpful to those preparing readings and announcements, writing stories for church bulletins, or composing remarks for press conferences and other public events.
The Birth of Jesus
(excerpts from the 2nd chapter of The Gospel According to Luke, New International Version)
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world…And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her first-born, a son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Suggested reading language for church bulletin: According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus was born in Bethlehem because Caesar Augustus decreed that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. Joseph and Mary traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem, Joseph’s home town, to register. And the angel appeared to the shepherds with the familiar assurance: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Jesus’ birth fulfilled Old Testament prophecy that a new King of Israel would be born in Bethlehem.
The 2010 census in this country will not fulfill prophecy, but it will comply with the Constitution’s requirement for a count of everyone living in America once every ten years. And it will help guarantee that our national investments go where they are most needed. The census is used to determine the distribution of more than $400 billion a year in education, health care, economic development and more, and to guide private spending on factories, stores, and restaurants. And it helps ensure that we’re all fairly represented at every level of government.
It’s not easy to get an accurate count of every person living in this country. Most likely to be missed are young children, people who are poor, and people who are homeless or living in untraditional settings. Sound familiar? We don’t want a single precious child – any child of God – to be missed. We encourage everyone to spend a few minutes to complete the census questionnaire that will be distributed by mail this March. And over the next few months we will encourage you to participate in efforts by community groups to make sure that everyone, including children born in humble circumstances, is counted.
http://www.civilrights.org/census/census-resources/christmas/fact-sheetcensusandchristmas.pdf
Thanks.
That would make 0bama the modern Herod, wouldn’t it???