Groupon: 5% Tithe

Gloria loves a deal.  And really, who does not? 

You have probably heard about websites such as Groupon or Living Social.  You can find all kinds of deals on these sites.  There seems to be no end to what you can find.  What you need to know right now is that eating and the name Fletcher seem to go well together.  So, Gloria is always looking for a good restaurant deal, including buy one get one and half-off offers. 

We have been able to try out different kinds of food without paying full price.  That way in case we do not like something we do not feel terribly bad about.  There was this one restaurant we went to that really paid off, but it is even too bad to talk about now.  So, that is how we use Groupon.  You might want to take time to look around. 

Now that you know that scoop about us, this next cartoon will make more sense.  

 Of course, I want you to know that your giving produces mission.  In The UMC our apportionments, which each congregation pays, ensure that our church is in mission across the globe.  From your local church to the other side of the world, our connectional giving is a faithful response to God's calling for each of us.  Think of
it this way: When you faithfully give, as United Methodists, you are in ministry throughout the world.

This week I will begin to share Ministry Celebrations to the worship time at our church.  This is not a novel idea, nor an original idea.  Someone I served with introduced it to me.  I carried it with me, and have been amazed at how people have responded.  Typically, their response is something like, "I never knew our church do so much."  The one-minute segments also have been considered what "has taught me the most about The UMC." 

Needless to say, I am excited about sharing this time with Oak Haven.  I will let you know if they have different responses.