A pastor’s investment: give each parishioner $50—and a challenge

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:59 pm by Deacon Greg Kandra

A pastor’s investment: give each parishioner $50—and a challenge 2016-09-30T15:59:17-04:00 Deacon Greg Kandra

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Photo: Dan Gross/The Gazette

What a great idea:

It was like a collection basket in reverse.

Instead of collecting money to help the church’s outreach programs, Pastor Anne Benefield of Geneva Presbyterian Church in Potomac put money and a challenge in the hands of her parishioners.

At the end of her Sept. 8 sermon, each adult parishioner was handed $50 in honor of the church’s 50th anniversary. Each child received $5. In all she gave out $6,600.

The money came with a charge: use it within 90 days to help the community and report back.

“I want you to use this money to the glory of God. I want you to make our next 50 years about mission. And I want you to use this money in a way that you have a personal attachment,” Benefield said in her sermon.

Time’s up, and parishioners recently reported their deeds, fulfilling the quest both locally and internationally.

Church members have given money to county neighbors and humanitarian organizations and sent donations around the world, truly becoming “the answer to someone’s prayers,” as Benefield charged them in her sermon.

Close by, some of the churchgoers donated cash to panhandlers and newspaper peddlers, Manna Food Center, Gaithersburg Help and The Lord’s Table at St. Martin’s Catholic Church in Gaithersburg.

“Our 2nd $50 went to ten $5 gift cards from Safeway,” Jane Campbell, who with her husband, got two $50 bills, wrote in an email to Benefield. We give these out to panhandlers, since we can be fairly sure it will go to food. Feeling less helpless in the face of panhandlers is an answered prayer.”

Sheri Sankey, a math teacher at Watkins Mill High school in Montgomery Village, gave her $50 away more than once and still has it, she said.

“I took $20 of it and added $20 of my own and gave it to the Fashion Club at school for their coat drive,” she said. “Then I took $15 and added $15 and bought $30 of canned food for the Key Club canned food drive.”

The last $15, she said, she uses for students who need snacks or bus fare.

Read more.

Inspiration

The people in the pews

Christmas

Inspiration

Previous Post

December 26, 2013

BREAKING: Pennsylvania court reverses conviction of Philadelphia's Msgr. Lynn

Next Post

December 26, 2013 On the second day of Christmas...

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category "Mad Men" 9/11 advent All Things New Amazing video amazing videos amazon america Anglicans Anti-Catholicism art ascension thursday ash wednesday Atheists baltimore Bible Bishops Blogging bonnie engstrom Books bridgeport Brooklyn Chaplains children christian art christmas Church Churches CNEWA Converts criticism Deacons Death Penalty easter eastern christian Eastern Christians Ecumenism education Education Eucharist Europe euthanasia Evangelization Exorcism Family Feasts Gay rights Good Friday Great links Great Moments in Journalism Hanging with the saints heather renshaw Hispanic Catholics Hispanics History homelies Homilies Humor Hymn of the Week Immigration indianapolis Inspiration Interfaith news ireland Jesus Jews Journalism Judaism lent Liturgy logos Marriage Mary Media Medical news Mental health Middle East Monks Movies Music Muslims My world and welcome to it New Evangelization new york News Nuns Parenting Parish life peoria Persecution Politics politics Pope pope francis pope john paul Prayer Preaching Priests Pro-life Quote of the day radio rebecca frech ripp Ripped from the headlines rippred from the headlines Sacraments saints Scripture sex abuse Sex abuse crisis SEX ABUSE CRISIS TAGGED WITH: SEX ABUSE CRISIS The people in the pews the visitation project theatre This & that Thomas Merton Trappists TV Uncategorized uncategorized VATICAN Vatican vocation Vocations Voices & Views Women Worth a thousand words Writing Year of Faith year of mercy young people

Select a Month December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: Mark records Jesus' birth narrative in Bethlehem.

Select your answer to see how you score.

FALSE TRUE

Books by This Author Books by Deacon Greg Kandra

See All Titles »