Sometimes I wind up with so much that I could say in a sermon I have to pick and choose in order to keep from going on too long.  This past Sunday was one of those times.  There are two additional things that relate to the message of “Making a Difference.”

First of all, I shared with you at the end the story of the little boy and his father who were walking along the beach.  The little boy was picking up sand dollars and throwing them back into the water.  His dad pointed out there were so many on the beach and even more in the ocean and suggested what the boy was doing couldn’t possibly make a difference.  The little boy then reached down for another one, tossed it into the water and said to his dad, “Well, I made a difference for that one.”  What I could have added was that you, as a congregation, remind me of that boy.  There are some pictures on bulletin boards in the hallway outside the office.  One celebrates your generosity in our One Day of Giving.  There are pictures of people whose lives have been touched by the ministries and missions your giving supports.  Around the corner, as you approach the elevator, are pictures of two of the children from the orphanage in Lom, Bulgaria.  You can point to any or all of those pictures and say, with confidence, “Well, we made a difference for that one, and that one and that one…..”  I suppose we see that most clearly in the lives of the children in Lom.  If you don’t believe this ask one of the folks who have been on that missions experience.  Keep in mind that this would not be possible without the money you give to buy supplies.

The second thing I would mention is the local missions supported in our annual budget.  You help dozens of people each year who need help with utility bills, medicine, gas to get to doctor’s appointments and job interviews, rent and putting food on the table.  In addition to that you support a local food bank that touches the lives of countless others.  Your commitment to generous giving has helped us to not only stay on budget but to exceed our budget for the first quarter of this month.  This allows us to do even more to help people in need in our community.

The bottom line is that you are indeed “doers of the word and not hearers only.”  Thank you for your commitment to a faith that is exemplified in your works.  That first century writer named James would be proud.

Carlton

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