It is not how you start the race that counts, it is how you finish! Our JIBC family finished the “jelly” race in record time. Now, you are running a marathon! I had set a goal, a good goal, of asking our church family to bring 75 jars of jelly and 75 packages of diapers each month: September, October and November. Then I got a little more ambitious and asked that we go ahead and do the same thing for Advent in December. The jelly and diapers are to bless our ministry partners at James Island Outreach and Lowcountry Pregnancy Center. Wow, the starter pistol fired and the church family and friends went onto a record breaking pace. During September, you brought over 400 jars of jelly. Technically, you brought 350 jars of jelly and 57 jars of peanut butter. You reached and exceeded the entire 4 month goal in less than one month. We have 4 large displays where you can drop off jelly and diapers. Each of the four displays almost equaled the goal we set for each month.
Now, as impressive as those collection areas are please don’t miss the real picture. This month, there will be widows and under-served senior adults who will enjoy jelly on their biscuits or toast. There will be children going to school with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches because mom or grandmom went by James Island Outreach and found lots of jelly! Picture over 350 newborn babies who get dry diapers as needed. Picture a single mom not having to spend $30.00 on a pack of diapers.
Thank you all for giving. Thank you for leveraging your influence to lead others to give. One coach led the football team to bring over 100 jars of jelly and the 57 jars of peanut butter. One teacher led her class to bring formula and diapers…and they brought a lot, a whole lot! Commander ReRe and her team led the Awana kids to bring over 100 jars of jelly.
We are starting to receive some of the stories of what you did with the Blessing Envelopes. I cannot wait to share the stories. I will need help telling those stories. My eyes are leaking already. We gave out 180 Blessing Envelopes to our church family and friends. Crazy, right? You didn’t even have to be a member to receive and envelope with $75 cash for you to use to be a blessing. No strings attached, no real instructions, just pray and ask God to lead you or…just do what your heart says to do! There are still a few envelopes left. Contact Neale in the church office if you would like to participate.
Blessed to be a blessing is a part of who we are and a part of how we live out our faith as followers of Jesus Christ. It is who we are it is what we do. And I am glad Janie and I are a part of it all!
“Have I told you lately that I love you?” Really, I am honored to pastor this church family.
Blessing in the Great Name of Jesus,
Pastor Tom
