For the first six weeks of the year I had the privilege of coordinating the silent auction for our Valentine's in Paris fundraising dance on February 10.
As soon as I put the word out, the goods started coming in. How could it be so! They came in baskets, in boxes, in bags. They came tied with ribbons, with flowers, with tags! Gradually our dining room began to fill up with items. Heidi and I sorted and sifted, catalogued and rearranged again. People who gave last year gave again. HSM dug deep and filled two gift baskets. People who hadn't given before gave for the first time. Gifts were handmade, store bought or services rendered. By the time the auction came around there were 64 gifts in all! It was a real blessing for us see this come together.
A few weeks ago I was at the leaders retreat. During a review of previous retreats I saw that early on it was a desire and goal for our church to have a "culture of generosity". When you and I look at those who give their time, their talents, their money we can't help but be overwhelmed. Folks go on DRS, help Syrian refugees, pitch in at the Big Five, respond to the giving tree, give to causes like crazy. The list goes on. And all this benefits our church, our community, our country and beyond our borders.
Well done, Hope. However, let us not rest on these laurels. Up, up and away. Let us keep giving. Give what you can and then give some more. God calls us to be givers and let's do it cheerfully! That's what God needs us to be, that's what the world needs us to be, and that's what you need you to be. And when you give here, you store up treasures in heaven.
As soon as I put the word out, the goods started coming in. How could it be so! They came in baskets, in boxes, in bags. They came tied with ribbons, with flowers, with tags! Gradually our dining room began to fill up with items. Heidi and I sorted and sifted, catalogued and rearranged again. People who gave last year gave again. HSM dug deep and filled two gift baskets. People who hadn't given before gave for the first time. Gifts were handmade, store bought or services rendered. By the time the auction came around there were 64 gifts in all! It was a real blessing for us see this come together.
A few weeks ago I was at the leaders retreat. During a review of previous retreats I saw that early on it was a desire and goal for our church to have a "culture of generosity". When you and I look at those who give their time, their talents, their money we can't help but be overwhelmed. Folks go on DRS, help Syrian refugees, pitch in at the Big Five, respond to the giving tree, give to causes like crazy. The list goes on. And all this benefits our church, our community, our country and beyond our borders.
Well done, Hope. However, let us not rest on these laurels. Up, up and away. Let us keep giving. Give what you can and then give some more. God calls us to be givers and let's do it cheerfully! That's what God needs us to be, that's what the world needs us to be, and that's what you need you to be. And when you give here, you store up treasures in heaven.
Comments
Post a Comment