Are you an Active Member?

Are you an active member,
the kind that would be missed?

Or are you just content,
that your name be on the list?

Do you attend meetings,
and mingle with the crowd?

Or would you rather stay at home,
and complain long and loud?

Do you give a little time,
and help to make things tick.

Or leave the work to just a few,
and talk about the “clique”?

There’s quite a program schedule,
that means success if done.

And it can be accomplished,
with the help of everyone.

So come to all the meetings,
and help with hand and heart;

Don’t just be another member,
but take an active part.

Think it over member,
Are you right or wrong?

Are you an active member,
or do you just belong?

Author unknown

Three kinds of giving

There are three kinds of giving, grudge giving, duty giving, and thanksgiving.

• Grudge giving says “I have to”

• Duty giving says “I ought to”

• Thanksgiving says “I want to”

The first comes from constraint; the second from a sense of obligation; the third from a full heart.

Nothing much is conveyed in grudge giving since the gift without the giver is bare. Something more happens in duty giving, but there is no song in it. Thanksgiving is an open gate to the love of God. It is the “Amen” of giving.

SIGNS OF A HEALTHY CONGREGATION:

People are constantly expressing disagreement, and they do it right out in the open.

The priest is always behind in his/her work.

The board members can never seem to make ends meet financially, and they are forever giving money away.

A number of people miss meetings and insist on spending time with their families.

The choir is filled with a lot of amateurs.

The kids are noisy and all over the place, including worship.

The Bibles are wearing out, the coffee hour is crowded and confusing, the front door is almost off its hinges, the electric bill is way over budget, and it seems that an awful lot of people have keys and all kinds of groups are coming and going.