Being generous

As you get ready for church this morning, I have already walked to church and back, had lunch, and am now settling down to some lesson planning;  wouldn’t want to spend every Sunday afternoon with this task. Wait a minute; I DID do that for nearly three decades!

  St. Margaret’s Anglican Church is 20 minutes’ walk at a leisurely pace. Nevertheless, the heat and heavy air left me dripping sweat by the time I arrived.  The Swahili-language service was ending with beautiful music as the members began to recess behind the ushers and priests. Some of you remember my surprise last year when I saw that 2 live chickens were included in the offering. Today, in addition to baskets that perhaps contained cash, there were the following generous gifts:  a flat of hen’s eggs (probably 30); one live chicken; 3 long canes of sugar cane; and one huge stalk of bananas (probably at least 10 of the “supermarket” bunches). The ushers must have to pump iron just to carry out the weekly offerings if they get a stalk of bananas very often. So, if you are reading this on your way to your worship service, consider your offering well; be generous!