Jack’s Winning Words 1/29/19
“There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.”  (Gibran)  The Bible says that “The Lord loves a cheerful giver.”  It has also been translated, “The Lord loves the one who gives hilariously.”  I’ve yet to see someone laugh in church as the offering plate goes by.  A man once told me that he always makes his offering in CASH, because it makes him feel good, better than if it were a check.  How do feel when you give to the church or some charity?   ;-)  Jack

FROM  FISH IN NOVA SCOTIA:  I seem to remember one occasion at Holy Spirit at which we were filing out of the church singing "On Our Way Rejoicing" when the pastor (was it you or maybe a supply pastor?) said "Stop! No wonder you are singing with such gusto! I forgot to call for the offering."===JACK:  Not me!  ...but I do remember once, when I was a student filling in at a country church...I was ready to give the benediction...an usher in  the back of the church was frantically waving the offering plates..after some puzzlement, I caught on..."Before I pronounce the benediction, please be seated, and we will receive the offering."...as though that was the normal thing to do.  Chuckles from the congregation.

FROM PROUD MARY:  lucky, thankful, fortunate, and blessed.===JACK:  True story!  A friend of mine and his wife were in church with me.  When the offering plate came by.  By mistake he put in $20 instead of the $1 he had meant to give.  He was a seminary student and had a limited income.  The $20 meant food for the week.  He and his wife thought about telling the pastor of their mistake and asking for the twenty back...but decided that "God will provide!"  Later that week they received an unexpected inheritance.  Yes, a true story!===MARY:  i believe. one of my favorite songs is “love isn’t love until you give it away...and then it comes right back to you!” ===JACK:  It's more fun to see love that is lived than to hear love when it's talked about.===PM:  i so agree...one should always live with the intention of love✌🏼❤️🙂

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  In the 30s and 40s Father Culmans at sacred heart used to print the amount that each parishioner gave each week in a monthly bulletin! It helped establish lifelong giving! By the way, he also used to fly a plane which was very adventurous!===JACK:  When I came to my first parish they also did "the publishing thing."  The church council was nervous when I suggested ending that practice.  I prevailed, and the offerings increased...substantially.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  It certainly is blessed to receive, when you have a real need, and God provides, (such as a ham brought to us when Bill was in seminary, and food was running very low for us and our 2 boys...we were pd. once a month, and this was shortly before payday!), BUT of course it's a much better feeling to be able to be theGiver and share with those in need. What a blessing to have enough to share!!  One of our deacons once told me (with a smile) that he knew when I stepped
into the pulpit it was going to cost him money...I was always cheering on some "worthy project"!  He was a generous supporter!   Most of us wish we had more to give, with so many desperate pleas for help all around us, but we do what we can, and it is a JOY to do so!===JACK:  Yes, having endured hard times makes appreciate more, the good times.  But what can match the "hard times that Jesus endured...that we might experience the ultimate good time.I laughed at the guy who "had your number."  I always enjoyed promoting good causes, causes that I believed in.

FROM BS IN ENGLAND:  I do wish that I  could give more, but as the saying goes, every little helps!===JACK:  Do you remember how Jesus commended the widow for her gift?  It was only two mites, but she gave all that she had.  Sometimes we concentrate too much on the amount of a gift rather that on the spirit in which it is given.