BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING…OK THEN, LET THE BLESSING BEGIN!

One of the 2037 things I love about our church family is the willingness to bless others. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, you found ways to continue doing mission even when we were not having “in-person worship”. We fed hundreds with hot, delicious comfort food. We fed firemen, Express Care workers, homebound, the sick, widows, underserved, etc. You lived out the value that we are blessed to be a blessing.

Another way we were and are significantly blessed is in our finances. The tithes and offerings have been so extremely generous given the craziness of the two years. Because we have been so blessed, your Pastors, Elders and Finance Team want to make the following proposal: We would like this Sunday’s offering to be a Kingdom Offering.

If you have watched or read any news lately, you know of the devastating events happening in Haiti and Afghanistan. These are two countries, at their very best, are among the most difficult places on earth to live. Add to their difficult lives man made or natural disasters and you have a recipe for suffering, misery and pain. My experience has been when mankind is at its worst, God and His people are at their best. If there is a disaster, you know Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, Samaritans Purse and other agencies will be present sooner rather than later.

So how do we fit in? I have asked and received whole hearted approval from our Finance Team and Elders, that we designate this Sunday’s offering, all of it, to help support 3 relief efforts. First the Afghanistan crisis relief efforts; second the Haiti earthquake disaster; and third for members, Charles and Judy Dillon’s ongoing Disaster Relief work in Florida.

God has blessed us with so much that we are in a great position to be able to bless others. We are simply passing on what our Father has entrusted to us. So this Sunday, August 29, 2021 will be a Kingdom Giving Sunday. Instead of taking up a special offering, we will designate everything that is given this Sunday to be a Kingdom Sunday Relief offering. We have been blessed to be a blessing. So, if you usually give, here is a great opportunity to make an impact. If you do not give to JIBC, but kind of like the idea of a Kingdom Giving Sunday, here is your opportunity to make an impact. Give this Sunday and know that 100% of what is given, that is not otherwise designated, will be given to Afghanistan, Haiti and the Dillon’s Disaster Relief work.

Please note, that anyone who would prefer, for one of many reasons, that your offering this Sunday goes to James Island Baptist, can still do that. You can mark your offering as designated, call the church office and speak to Neale, send us a text or email to let us know. Any offering designated to a specific cause will go to where it is designated. Anyone would be able to redirect their gifts to JIBC if they so desired.

Again, thank you for being so generous. You make this an easy choice to give because God gave to us. We believe that we are blessed to be a blessing. So let the blessing begin. See you Sunday with my offering!

Pastor Tom