Celebrate the Birth of Christ on the Peoria.com Forums

You are invited to join the congregation of
Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church of Peoria
in celebrating
The Nativity of Our Lord
Friday, December 24, 2010
Christmass Eve Service of Carols and Candlelight
with Holy Communion @ 7:00 pm
at
Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
1534 S. Easton Avenue, Peoria
(at Easton and Hayes, 1 block west of Jefferson and Western)
Phone: (309) 637-9150
The Rev. Steven Paul Tibbetts, STS, Pastor

What he means to say, is that you're invited to a fund raiser for Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church. It isn't necessary to bring money, but they really hope you do.

You know, tapeworm, if that's what I meant, that's what I'd say.

Christmass is about God's gift of his Son. Come and receive!

Pax, Steven+

thank you pastor for the invitation. More people need to find and accept Christ in their lives.

The little Asian girl with the rocket launcher, for instance.

Sure guys, don't forget to pass around the collection plate, or at least put it near the door where people can see it as they're coming or going.

My church did not pass or place a collection plate at our Christmas eve service. So much for your theory.

Musta met their quote for the year. Merry Christmas, AV8R.

Merry Christmas Crodseth.

There was this guy named Joe.
Who had a skilled trade.
He loved a woman named Mary.
He never had sex with her.
She never had sex.
But she was in her third trimester.

She rode his business pack mule into Bethelem, while he walked alongside his beast of burden.
Giving each other the eyeball.

Returning to the place to be taxed by some Roman Poobah.

Denied normal lodging, they settled into a barn, and her water broke.

And he said, "Jesus Christ."

The thing about the collection plate, is that the building costs money, the electricity bill needs to be paid, the water bill needs to be paid, the pastor needs to eat. If you are member of congregation it is only logical to help pay for those things.

The Elders at the Kingdom hall do not get paid. They shepard the flock lovingly. Yes there are bills and yes there are collection boxes . The money thats put in there is what you feel you have. No need to pass it around to put people on the spot. Jehovah gives everything to us so how would you hold back from him. Jesus stated the lady with two coins of little means gave more than the wealthy. We do our own cleaning and upkeep of our place of worship so theres no cost there. I see so many churches falling apart but yet they pastor and preachers wear fine cloths and drive fine cars even live in beautiful houses but yet the church is a mess. Gods house should come first wouldnt you think.

Things wrong to worship christmas one the bible never says that we should. No were does its say anything else about Jesus birth day. The flocks were in the feild with there shepards I think Dec 25 is to cold for this and the star why would God mark where his son is when there tring to kill him. If you really look into these things you will see that this day is nothing more than another day.

Do you have any idea how much money your average church makes in a year, tax free? Some pastors make 6 figures. For others, it's the perfect con; travel the world receiving gifts of all sorts such as gas cards, free room and board, free laptop computers etc. Always pretend to be broke, report nothing.

isn't boasting a sin? hypocrite.

Indeed, tapeworm, there are a few pastors who make 6 figures and get all sorts of goodies. They also pay income and self-employment taxes on it, including on the "free" housing some of us receive. OTOH, for every minister paid that well, there are hundreds, even thousands, who are not compensated all that well -- in fact the ministers in many protestant churches must be bi-vocational in order to provide for their families (and you might be surprised about the major churches in Central Illinois who require such clergy). The "average" church doesn't really receive all that much money to operate. Churches and pastors are able to benefit from pretty much the same "cons" as other small businesses and proprietorships (which accounts for most of our "freebies").

tntrecycling and his sect, alas, set aside St. Paul's admonition that a minister has the right to expect an adequate wage for his labors in the church.

Pax, Steven+

Where are you getting your information from? According to what I've found, churches "on average" receive 30+ times revenue in donations than McDonalds makes in sales.

I know exactly how much money our church collects in the collection plate, how much is given through other donations, grants etc. Every church that I have attended posts its financial statement. The figures are gathered and maintained by members of the parish. In most churches the treasurer is simply a member (or a few members) of the congregation, who has been nominated or volunteered to take care of the finances. They submit the information to the congregation just like any other non-profit group.

I've never attended one of those churches that are profit making venues. They do exist, but IMO, they are the exception rather than the rule. There are far many more small town, small congregations that are just making ends meet.