Elections, Money and Football

The following is absolutely the best, most true statement that I have heard about the election. And I am thankful and just flat out proud to have heard it in the middle of a sermon  from my pastor, Rev. Kyle Toomire:

“…look around us – everywhere we see people who are lost and hurting.  All around us we see anger, resentment, and moral breakdown.  And the church has to stop looking to the things of the world for answers.

I do not care what the commercials or the newspapers or the pundits tell you – WE CANNOT ELECT a Savior.  He has already come."

Amen.

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The presence and number of children is one of the strongest indicators of the health of a church. I have never been in a weak, dying church that was full of children. On the contrary, I think the kids keep it vibrant. They keep us vibrant. I was making this point to Rev. Toomire, telling him that I thought it was because our children are our future. He immediately corrected me, saying  “they are not just our future, there are important to us in the here and now.” He is right and this was illustrated by Jesus several times in scripture.

Indeed, that attitude is reflected in our worship service. Rather than have adults to pass the offering plates, children pass them.  In our case, they are baskets rather than plates that look like huge ash trays with a velvet lining as in the church I attended as a child.

An adult lay person prays about the offering before it is collected. Then, the baskets are handed to the children, who pass them around, collect the money and return them to the adult who lifts them up to Almighty God before placing them on the altar. I recently had the privilege and honor of praying for the offering. Two beautiful young girls walked out into the congregation, and passed the offering baskets. They returned them to me. I smiled and whispered to them what a good job they had done. One little girl looked at me and said, “Look, I got a lot of money in mine! “ She was so excited. That lifted my heart and made me chuckle.

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I asked Rev. Toomire, to please pray for my Auburn Tigers. They are having what is turning out to be the worst season that I have witnessed in my lifetime. He looked back at me and replied tongue in cheek, “No amount of prayer is going to help them this year.” 

It is sadly beginning to look as if he is right. And with that I will leave you.

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Thanksgiving Challenge and Joy Dare
Today, I am thankful for:






copyright 2012 by Kathy Robbins