A while back I heard Scott Weimer, pastor of the North Avenue Presbyterian Church, talking about a woman who was one of their international members from Kenya. She came down front after a service and she told Scott that she missed some parts of the worship from Kenya. Scott asked what she missed. The woman said that she missed how they gave the offering. In her country, they placed the offering plates down front, and then people danced down the aisle while carrying their gifts up to place them in the offering plate. I wonder how that "offering dance" would go over here at JCPC.
This Sunday is the last in our Stewardship series. In the past, we have asked members to wait until Dedication Sunday to bring their "Estimate of Giving" cards forward at the end of the service. This year we are doing it a little differently. For the last two Sundays, I have invited members to go ahead and return the "Estimate of Giving" card -- or to go online to our website, click the box marked "Giving 2016 - To Boldly Go . . .", and make their pledge that way. If you have yet to do either, I want to encourage you to plan to bring your "Estimate of Giving" card to worship this Sunday, or go online and do it soon - especially if you can't be here this Sunday. We will not be doing what we usually do -- inviting folks to walk down front and place their card on the Communion table. But we will encourage you to place your card in the offering plate, or you can mail it to the church office. Thank you for your generous giving that enables us To Boldly Go and make a difference in our world.
One word of warning: the final hymn, "When the Saints Go Marching In" will be played by a Dixieland Jazz band that may make some of you "wild and crazy" Presbyterians want to dance down the aisle. See you this Sunday for a great day of worship at JCPC!
Prayer for Today
Thank you, God, for giving us all we need to live. Touch our hearts so that we might share a generous portion of what we have been given with others. In the strong name of Christ we pray. Amen.
