There is a time-honored story that is often told about a certain conversation that took place between two pieces of common currency. It seems that…
A well-worn one-dollar bill and a similarly distressed twenty-dollar bill both arrived at a Federal Reserve Bank to be retired. As they moved along the conveyor belt to be burned, they struck up a conversation.
The twenty-dollar bill reminisced about its travels all over the country. "I've had a pretty good life," the twenty proclaimed... "Why I've been to Las Vegas and Atlantic City, the finest restaurants in New York, performances on Broadway, and even a cruise to the Caribbean..."
"Wow!" said the one-dollar bill. "You've really had an exciting life!"
"So, tell me," says the twenty, "where have you been throughout your lifetime?"
The one dollar bill replies, "Oh, I've been to the Methodist Church, the Presbyterian church, the Baptist Church, the Lutheran Church ..."
The twenty-dollar bill interrupts, "What's a church?"*
Many people travel this time of the year. As a pastor, I do not begrudge folks the opportunity to get away for a little while. Hopefully my previous posts have made plain that I understand the value of rest and relaxation.
At the same time, it is important to remember that the work of the church continues even in our absence. Her ministries, here missions commitments, her programming - all these things continue throughout the vacation season. In fact, in many respects, with children’s programs, student programs, and the like, the church actually has greater demands on her limited resources in summertime than in other seasons of the year.
No matter where you attend worship, I hope you will be faithful to support the ongoing work of your church throughout the year, and especially during the good old summertime. Most all of us get a vacation; the church and her ministries do not.
*SOURCE: This joke has been around quite some time. Of course, the message it contains is no doubt responsible for its longevity. It is available widely, both in publication and on the World Wide Web. One such example is: http://www.turnbacktogod.com/jokes-one-dollarand-twenty-dollar-bills/.
A well-worn one-dollar bill and a similarly distressed twenty-dollar bill both arrived at a Federal Reserve Bank to be retired. As they moved along the conveyor belt to be burned, they struck up a conversation.
The twenty-dollar bill reminisced about its travels all over the country. "I've had a pretty good life," the twenty proclaimed... "Why I've been to Las Vegas and Atlantic City, the finest restaurants in New York, performances on Broadway, and even a cruise to the Caribbean..."
"Wow!" said the one-dollar bill. "You've really had an exciting life!"
"So, tell me," says the twenty, "where have you been throughout your lifetime?"
The one dollar bill replies, "Oh, I've been to the Methodist Church, the Presbyterian church, the Baptist Church, the Lutheran Church ..."
The twenty-dollar bill interrupts, "What's a church?"*
Many people travel this time of the year. As a pastor, I do not begrudge folks the opportunity to get away for a little while. Hopefully my previous posts have made plain that I understand the value of rest and relaxation.
At the same time, it is important to remember that the work of the church continues even in our absence. Her ministries, here missions commitments, her programming - all these things continue throughout the vacation season. In fact, in many respects, with children’s programs, student programs, and the like, the church actually has greater demands on her limited resources in summertime than in other seasons of the year.
No matter where you attend worship, I hope you will be faithful to support the ongoing work of your church throughout the year, and especially during the good old summertime. Most all of us get a vacation; the church and her ministries do not.
*SOURCE: This joke has been around quite some time. Of course, the message it contains is no doubt responsible for its longevity. It is available widely, both in publication and on the World Wide Web. One such example is: http://www.turnbacktogod.com/jokes-one-dollarand-twenty-dollar-bills/.