Today, we put out the new letters for the church sign, "LOOKING FOR A NEW START, TRY GOD" . Other than the occasional announcement I typically put out my sermon title for the coming week. But I'm always looking for meaningful and relevant sayings for the sign.
I have gone by many a church sign in my day and have just passed scratching my head saying, "huh, I don't get it." For example:
"HELL IS HOT"
Well duh, even an idiot knows that.
"HOME IMPROVEMENT BEGINS WITH A KING JAMES BIBLE" -
Didn't know King James was the authority on family life.
"DONT LET WORRIES KILL YOU LET THE CHURCH HELP" -
Yah, that's my goal for the church, lets weed 'em all out.
"AS MY APPRENTICE YOUR NEVER FIRED - GOD"
Unless of course your name is Lucifer
"JESUS IS COMING BACK SOON, LOOK BUSY"
Ok, so we're going to trick Jesus into thinking we've been doing good works all this time. Because he hasn't been paying attention.
And my favorite red-neck church sign:
"GIT-R-DUN FUR GOD"
At least they spelled God right. (Watch out for the spit cups in the pew-back in front of you)
There are plenty more, just don't have the time or space. Let's be reasonable with our signs. They are out there for others to see and make fun of.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Fantasy Football
Well it's the final weekend of our churches fantasy football league. Once again I have advanced to the Super Bowl and am attempting to defend my title, a feat I wonder whether its worth it. Growing up I was one of the most competitive people you could meet. To this day if you challenge me at anything I will give it 110% plus some, just to prove to myself that I can do it, and if a competition, that I can beat you. However, being a pastor, I wonder if at times this can cause a bit of a rift among others who don't view it as competive but as craziness.
I know that we are not to back down, lay down, or throw in the towel, but sometimes I wonder if it would be better to just not get involved. That way there are no hurt feelings when the pastor beats a church member at Fantasy Football, or when the pastor aggressively goes into home plate to win the softball game and inocently takes out the other catcher who was just in the wrong place. Over the past couple of years I have had several "light bulb" moments that have told me, next year when it comes around, just be a spectator. But then I think I can't do that because I am even a worse fan. I yell at the refs, umps, time keepers (penn state vs. michagan, 1 second-just 1 mesly second), and anyone I think has wronged my team, and those are all on TV at my house.
So what is a pastor to do? Get rid of the TV, radio and internet, lock himself in the office and wait to hear how the church softball team did on Sunday morning? I try to live my life with no regrets. I don't want to look back tomorrow, ten, thirty years and say, "I wish I would have...." or "Why on earth did I do or say that?" So for now I think I will stick to just playing Scrabble with my loving wife (she usaully wins because I am a poor speller), and Cranium with my family.
God Bless - and Merry Christmas!!!
I know that we are not to back down, lay down, or throw in the towel, but sometimes I wonder if it would be better to just not get involved. That way there are no hurt feelings when the pastor beats a church member at Fantasy Football, or when the pastor aggressively goes into home plate to win the softball game and inocently takes out the other catcher who was just in the wrong place. Over the past couple of years I have had several "light bulb" moments that have told me, next year when it comes around, just be a spectator. But then I think I can't do that because I am even a worse fan. I yell at the refs, umps, time keepers (penn state vs. michagan, 1 second-just 1 mesly second), and anyone I think has wronged my team, and those are all on TV at my house.
So what is a pastor to do? Get rid of the TV, radio and internet, lock himself in the office and wait to hear how the church softball team did on Sunday morning? I try to live my life with no regrets. I don't want to look back tomorrow, ten, thirty years and say, "I wish I would have...." or "Why on earth did I do or say that?" So for now I think I will stick to just playing Scrabble with my loving wife (she usaully wins because I am a poor speller), and Cranium with my family.
God Bless - and Merry Christmas!!!
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
The Joys of Giving
Just got back from delivering $150.00 worth of food and house supplies to two families in our community. Neither of these families attends our churhc, however each of their teen age children does. WOW! We have so much to be thankful for! After coming away from each home I just began to thank God for his many blessings and for the wonderful opportunity to be a blessing to these families. To see the joy on the face of the teens and the parents was incredible. I am so thankful for a church family who has a desire to reach out and touch lives!
Monday, December 19, 2005
Free Lunch
Today I had the opportunity to take up to 15 people out to Chilis for a free lunch. All we had to do was listen to David give us a five minute presentation on financial planning. David was true to his word, five minutes and he was done, paid for our meal and left. O, did I mention he left with all our phone numbers and addresses. That's Ok, we had a great free meal. And O ya, I took my church staff and inlaws who are here from Pittsburgh.
Is it possible for the poor to have more gifts to open at Christmas than the average person? If you would have asked me that before I became a pastor I would have said, "No way!" However, I have come to discover in delivering some packages to some "needy" people in the community that their children will have twice as many if not three times as many gifts to open than my children will. They sure did a good job of calling every church in the community. Thankfully God gave me the wisdom to tell them we would deliver the gifts. When I went to the door, I went empty handed just to see the true situation. I was then able to see the floor under the tree covered with gifts. So I went back to the car and picked out two small gifts (one for each child), and left the other eight to give to someone else, and gave them to the family.
Don't get me wrong, I love to help and am probably one of the biggest softies in the world. But, you better not be taking advantage of my church family. They work very hard and are very generous to give! We must be good stewards not just as individuals but as a church as well.
Is it possible for the poor to have more gifts to open at Christmas than the average person? If you would have asked me that before I became a pastor I would have said, "No way!" However, I have come to discover in delivering some packages to some "needy" people in the community that their children will have twice as many if not three times as many gifts to open than my children will. They sure did a good job of calling every church in the community. Thankfully God gave me the wisdom to tell them we would deliver the gifts. When I went to the door, I went empty handed just to see the true situation. I was then able to see the floor under the tree covered with gifts. So I went back to the car and picked out two small gifts (one for each child), and left the other eight to give to someone else, and gave them to the family.
Don't get me wrong, I love to help and am probably one of the biggest softies in the world. But, you better not be taking advantage of my church family. They work very hard and are very generous to give! We must be good stewards not just as individuals but as a church as well.
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