This message was recorded for our church’s Christmas Eve service as we were unable to attend this year. If you missed our service or want to hear it again, I’ve posted it here for you. MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I’ve Discovered a New Gifting
The Christmas season may not seem like a time to start looking for personal giftings, but I discovered something new over the weekend.
To be honest, it isn’t a spiritual gift. I had hoped it was just a fluke. My wife’s inability, though, means it is something special. What could be so special? You’ll never guess.
Why I Won’t Take A Christmas Eve Offering
Over the past couple of weeks I have started looking ahead to 2012 on the calendar. This involves printing a hard copy "master" calendar for the church and keeping track of services, meetings, fellowships and other church activities. While I’m jumping forward, I am also polishing up our December calendar of Christmas events.
This week I received a request from a well-meaning organization to promote giving hope this Christmas by donating three dollars to send a Bible to needy countries around the world. In the introductory letter for the promotion, one of the suggestions was to dedicate our church’s Christmas Eve offering to their cause.
I didn’t think about what was being said the first time I read the letter. But when I looked at it again today, I was shocked. My concern was not that I should give extra funds to this cause, but that churches make a regular practice of taking offerings on Christmas Eve.
