If your church needs to fund raise to pay the wages of the clergy, what should be done. Keep on as is wearing out the people who help? Cut back on staff hours? Do a n impressive membership drive? Rent out most of the church? Advertise to do funerals and weddings with a hefty charge?  Comments? 

In rebellion against my generations of the most severe Scots Presbyterians, I send you this statement from the Pope. I wish our side had made a statement like this.

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1302173.htm

I intend to send copies in my blog fo our local clergy who write the wimpiest sermonettes for the Faith page of our local newspaper.

I belong to a United Church congregation that is trying to "do church" in a new way. One of the challenges is finding a better model to fund this new way of doing church. The traditional model of trying to pay for our admin and programming with congregational givings, while relying heavily on volunteer labour, isn't working so well for us. We're also aware that we can't pull too much of our income from rentals etc vs. donations without jeopardizing our charitable status under CRA regulations.

A list of the 100 richest Canadians is out.  Where does the information come from?  Why is it public knowledge?

 This may seem a small point - but I think it's a fundamental one. I'm sure I don't have a full understanding of what Christianity is about. But I'm pretty sure of what it's not about - materialism and consumerism. This is no small point, however trivial the example I am going to give might seem.

When I was a child, a birthday meant, perhaps, a cupcake with a candle in it - and a small gift. Occasionally there was a party, maybe five friends for ice cream and cake. That was not unusual.

Our congregation is hosting a funeral for a community member. This man did not have a church connection. We are providing tea, coffee and dishes for the reception. A caterer is doing the food.

We have set up extra chairs for the services-and an additional screen and projector in the lobby.

Our big room has had a makeove and is now full of small table with tableclothses and looks great.

We'll be doing the dishes and clean up.

Does your church have a fee schedule for funerals?

If we had enough money to eat, have a roof over our heads, enough for education, medical insurance - in other words a comfortable life, why do we as a culture feel that we have to have money in the bank, investments etc etc.

Is it written somewhere that we have to leave an inheritance to our children?

If making money doesnt make us happy because we are forever running, what is the point

What does Jesus say about lots of money?

No long quotes please.

I know that money is not everything but it sure helps.On Oprah's farewell show - today=Part 1, it highlighted all the good that Oprah has done with her money - schools, wells, books and the list goes on.

In an interview, she said because she has no children, in her will she has stipulated that all her wealth will be left to charity,

I commend her.

What do you think?

 I've never given thought to this because I've never owed taxes, but as someone who is less than impressed with the governments stance on Militarism, I thought that this was both funny and powerful. What do people think?

MY LETTER TO THE IRS BY SHANE CLAIBORNE