KM caps off 2020 with carols

People gathered on lawns, singing Christmas carols and spreading good will.

The image might seem like a piece of the past , but that’s how members of Dublin’s Kingdom Movement ministries chose to spend the evening of Dec. 23, capping off a year of community endeavors of bringing local churches and neighbors together.

“We called it Cocoa, Cookies and Caroling,” said Jonna Alvarado, who founded the ministry with her husband Felix a year and a half ago.

She said there were four vehicles packed with people who visited 18 homes in Dublin, singing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and delivering homemade cookies and hot cocoa.

Dec. 23 brought Dublin a north wind that made the hot cocoa even more of a treat.

“That wind started barreling in and we thought, ‘What is going on?,” Alvarado said. “The hot cocoa wasn’t enough to keep you warm.”

Alvarado said the experience was filled with more laughing than caroling as the group was spirited enough, but broke into laughter when they would go off-tune.

“We told people not to grade us on our singing skills,” Alvarado said.

She said the good will of neighbors visiting neighbors was enough to brighten spirits, particularly as some of the households were among the 100 that received full feasts thanks to Kingdom Movement on Thanksgiving Day.

KM was aided in the endeavor by several community sponsors and Cottonwood Baptist Church, Church For the Lost and Found and Iglesia Camino Al Reino.

“The end of the year was a harvest for us- a time to give and be present,” Alvarado said.

The good will missions acted as a perfect cap off to year that started with an event for local moms and kids followed by a 12-week series of worship. When the COVID pandemic struck and gatherings were limited, Kingdom Movement moved to outside worship, partnering with people in Granbury for praise services and hosting Sunday night praise with live music at Dublin’s Corner Lot with the blessing of the Corner Lot Group.

Alvarado said COVID has hit churches hard as people were distanced from their places of worship. Kingdom Movement wants to foster that sense of connection that congregations feel and bring in more churches to work together and help each other.

“Our goal is to always find common denominator instead of divide,” said Alvarado, who added that denominations and differing opinions shouldn’t shop Christians and neighbors from getting together to do great things.

KM also focuses on healing the family unit in the works its does with Alvarado calling the family unit “the original ministry of God.”

“I believe Dublin could be a huge hub for spiritual support,” she said.

KM is already planning for another big year of helping its neighbors with activities possibly including a leadership conference for church to come together for the greater good.

For more information on Kingdom Movement, call Felix Alvarado at (254) 431-1095.