Tag: The Morning Thing

Happy Thanksgiving from The Morning Thing!

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Today is a wonderful day – a day to celebrate what we are thankful for! 

The history of the Thanksgiving holiday dates back to 1621.
(From http://www.history.com) In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. It wasn’t until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.

Click HERE to see a cute video about the history of Thanksgiving.

Kids History: The First Thanksgiving (4 min) TV-PG

A group of children explain what happened on the first Thanksgiving.
(Picture from http://www.history.com)

To celebrate Thanksgiving, The Morning Thing and the WNZR staff shared their favorite family traditions.

Click HERE to hear our DJs share about the fun they have on this holiday.

We also have some special messages to share with YOU and your family today.
Click HERE to hear the WNZR staff members wish YOU a Happy Thanksgiving.

 

 

 

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Food For The Hungry celebrates 35 years of giving in Knox County!

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2016 marks the 35th Anniversary of Food for the Hungry. This is the annual drive to collect food and funds to benefit Interchurch Social Services and The Salvation Army of Knox County. The calendar is full of events and special collections planned to support the annual drive.

Click HERE to read the history of how this drive started in 1982.
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(Mount Vernon News article from 1982!)

Click HERE to read more about who we help. You can also find information at this link about our 2016 grant available to non-profit organizations with food initiatives. The deadline for the grant application is Monday, 11/28/16.

Click HERE to see the complete calendar of Food for the Hungry events in 2016.

WNZR is bringing you information about all events and collections connected to Food for the Hungry. The Morning Thing has been featuring conversations with committee members about these exciting events.

Click HERE to hear a conversation with Lisa Mazzari, Food For The Hungry Coordinator and Joy Harris, Executive Director of Interchurch Social Services of Knox County. Marcy Rinehart of The Morning Thing talks with the ladies about the power of this collection and the impact these donations make on the Knox County community.

Marcy also had a chance to talk with Lieutenants Gigi and Brandon Gonzalez-Cottrell of the Mount Vernon Salvation Army about how Food for the Hungry helps their ministry. Click HERE to hear this powerful conversation.

There are SO many organizations and individuals working to collect food and funds to support this outreach.

Psi Iota Xi and Delta Kappa Gamma sororities are working with the elementary students in our county. The incredible ladies from these two organizations have been working hard to encourage that ALL children in Knox County participate in Food for the Hungry.
Elementary schools across the county held collections the week of 11/14 – 11/18. So far, we are seeing GREAT results from those collections! Over 14 pallets of food were picked up from Mount Vernon elementary schools on Monday 11/21! That is amazing!
Click HERE to hear how Food for the Hungry representatives responded to the news of this amazing collection.
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So how can YOU get involved?

#1 – Exercise!
Get up early and get some exercise on Thanksgiving morning. Come to the 6th annual Turkey Trot! Click HERE for more details from Scott Burgess from “We Run MV”.
Sign-in starts at 8:00AM on race day at the MVNU Chapel with the race to start at
9:00AM.

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(2015 Turkey Trot at MVNU)

#2 – Shop in an auction!
The Knox County Career Center is hosting TWO auctions to benefit Food for the Hungry. The online auction features gift certificates from labs at the Career Center. Go to www.knoxcountycareercenter.yolasite.com to place your bid. There is a safe and easy form to fill out at the bottom of the website.
Bidding ends at 5pm on Friday, 12/9. The winning bidders will be announced at the Food For The Hungry broadcast at 12:30pm on Saturday, 12/10.

The Knox County Career Center is also hosting a LIVE Auction of amazing gift baskets! This will take place at around 12:45pm during the Food For The Hungry broadcast.
There are 6 baskets ranging in value from $356 to $1277!
Tune in to Time Warner Cable channel 9 or to WMVO 1300AM and 100.9FM on Saturday at 12:30pm and place your bid! You can also place an advanced bid by calling John Feltman at 740-507-5386.

SEE the baskets and complete contents at www.knoxcountycareercenterbaskets.yolasite.com

You can also SEE the baskets THIS SUNDAY (11/27) at the Mount Vernon Christmas Walk. Stop by Hunter Hall (where Happy Bean is located) and see the baskets on display in the conference room. You can also go ahead and place a silent bid for your favorite basket.

Click HERE to hear Marcy’s conversation with KCCC Student Services Principal, John Feltman about the Career Center’s involvement with Food for the Hungry. We are SO proud of these amazing young people.

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(Vacation Basket valued at over $1,300!)

#3 – Get dressed up, go to dinner and support FFTH!
Kenyon College is hosting the 6th annual Snowflake Gala Dinner Auction to benefit Food for the Hungry on Friday, December 2nd in Gund Commons. Enjoy dinner prepared by the talented chefs of AVI Food Systems. This year’s dinner will feature a buffet of locally sourced foods, with both non-vegetarian (beef and pork) and vegetarian options. Reservations accepted NO LATER than THIS FRIDAY, November 25, 2016.

Click HERE to hear Marcy’s conversation with Matt Starr of I-Conn Video Production about the event details, this year’s honorees and how you can donate through the “Fund-a-Cause” live auction.
The evening begins with a reception at 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner at 7:00 p.m.. Individual tickets are priced at $100 per person. To reserve your place, call 740-427-5111. Online registration and payment options are available at www.foodforthehungrycares.org, click the Auctions Tab and then Kenyon Gala Dinner and Auction. Proceeds from this annual gala benefit needy families and individuals in our own county. If you or your company would like to sponsor a table ($1,000 for eight people) or support the gala in some other way, please contact Kathryn Brechler Lake at 740-427-5111.

(Kenyon Gala pictures from previous years)

Is that all that is happening? NO!
There are MANY MANY events happening to support Food for the Hungry.
Keep checking back to this blog and listening to The Morning Thing weekdays from
6-9am. We will keep you up to date on how you get you and your family plugged into an event.
Right now you can click HERE to see a full calendar of upcoming events.
Click HERE for information on how you can volunteer!

Join WNZR at the 35th annual Food for the Hungry drive, Saturday, December 10th. We will broadcast from City Hall from 9am to 5pm providing updates on the total and all activities. The Big Blue Crew wants YOUR help in supporting Interchurch Social Services and the Salvation Army.

For more information, log on to www.FoodForTheHungryCares.org.

Food For The Hungry – Working together to care for our neighbors.

 

 

 

 

 

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Try a new recipe for this Thanksgiving! The Morning Thing 11/23/16

Looking for something NEW for your Thanksgiving table?
Check out these recipes from www.fearlessfresh.com
Chef Stephanie Stiavetti shares some exciting new twists on some of our favorite Turkey Day dishes. Let us know if you try any of these. They look YUMMY!

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THE ULTIMATE HOLIDAY DISH: BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE IN A PUMPKIN
Click HERE for the complete recipe and directions.

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 sugar pumpkin, or other sweet variety (not a carving pumpkin), about 5 pounds
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 pound mild Italian pork sausage
  • 4 ounces elbow macaroni
  • 5 ounces Fontina, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 2 ounces Gruyère, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 3 scallions, diced
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
  • 1 cup heavy cream
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Cut a circle from the top of the pumpkin at a 45-degree angle, the way you would cut open a pumpkin to make a jack-o’-lantern, and set aside.
  2. Scoop out the seeds and strings as best you can. Generously salt and pepper the inside of the pumpkin, pop the top back on it, place it on a rimmed baking dish (since the pumpkin may leak or weep a bit), and bake for 45 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. If the sausages are in their casings, remove the meat and discard the casings. Crumble the sausage meat into small chunks and cook until lightly browned. Remove the sausage from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Discard the drippings, or save for gravy or what have you.
  4. Also while the pumpkin bakes, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain through a colander and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process.
  5. In a bowl, toss together the Fontina, Gruyère, sausage, pasta, scallions, and herbs.
  6. Once the pumpkin is done baking, take it out of the oven and fill it with the macaroni and cheese. Pour the cream over the filling. Place the top back on the pumpkin and bake for 1 hour, taking the top off for the last 15 minutes so the cheese on top of the filling can properly brown. If the top cream still seems a bit too wobbly and liquid, give it another 10 minutes in the oven. The cream may bubble over a bit, which is fine.
  7. If the pumpkin splits while baking, as occasionally happens, be thankful you set it in a rimmed baking dish and continue to bake as normal.
  8. Allow the pumpkin to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Be careful moving the dish, as the pumpkin may be fragile. You can serve this dish two ways: Cut it into sections and serve them, or just scoop out the insides with scrapings of the pumpkin flesh for each serving. Either way is just dandy. Salt and pepper to taste.
  9. Alternative cheeses: Fontina and Gruyère are widely available and are best used for this recipe, but feel free to try your favorite cheese. We particularly like Valley Ford’s Estero Gold or its Highway 1 Fontina, as well as Roth Käse’s MezzaLuna Fontina. If you want to try something radical, a creamy blue cheese like Buttermilk Blue or Cambozola will do nicely too.
  10. Additional pairings for the cheese: apples, toasted walnuts, toasted hazelnuts

 

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THE BEST THANKSGIVING STUFFING RECIPE WITH AUTUMN FRUIT AND NUTS
Click HERE for the complete recipe and instructions.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 loaf of dense, heavy bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (should yield about 5 cups)
  • 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 medium-sized sweet onion, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, diced
  • One 1-inch knob of ginger, peeled and diced
  • 4 fresh sage leaves, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped finely
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups stock (turkey, chicken, or vegetable)
  • 4 fuyu persimmons, chopped coarsely
  • 2 sweet red apples, chopped into 1-inch cubes
  • Salt and pepper for seasoning
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
  2. Spread bread cubes evenly on a large cookie sheet. Toast until until the bread cubes have browned gently, about 20 minutes, using a spatula to flip the cubes halfway through. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Raise oven heat to 375°F (190°C).
  3. Heat a large skillet over medium flame. Add pecans and toast for 4 minutes, agitating every 30 seconds to allow for even toasting and to prevent burning. Pecans are done when they have turned a darker shade of brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
  4. Over medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions and saute until they are translucent and slightly brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, sage and rosemary, stirring constantly for 30 seconds, then add celery, sauteing for another 2 minutes.
  5. Add salt, pepper and bread cubes and mix well. Drizzle in stock and remaining olive oil, mixing gently until bread cubes are coated. Remove from heat and allow to soak for 5 minutes, mixing every few minutes to allow for even absorption.
  6. Without smashing the bread cubes, gently fold in persimmons, apples and toasted pecans. Season to taste with a bit more salt and pepper, then pour the whole thing into a lightly greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

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WINTERTIME SPICED CRANBERRY JAM
Click HERE for the complete recipe and instructions.

INGREDIENTS
  • 2 pounds cranberries, frozen or fresh
  • 1 pound of sugar, divided
  • 1/4 cup orange zest, from 5 large oranges
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice from 2 medium lemons
  • 1/2 cup orange juice (or cranberry juice)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon table salt (or 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon butter
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Make sure your jars are sterilized and ready to go. Defrost the cranberries, if using frozen berries. Wash and dry the cranberries, then chop them coarsely with a sharp knife.
  2. Sprinkle chopped berries with 1/4 cup of sugar. Stir, cover, and let sit for 30 minutes.
  3. While the cranberries are basking in their sugary bath, place a small plate in the freezer so you can test the jam for proper thickness later.
  4. Add the cranberries, orange zest, lemon juice, orange or cranberry juice, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cayenne, and salt to a food processor and pulse a few times until the cranberries are chunky, maintaining a bit of texture.
  5. Pour the fruit into a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pot. Add brown sugar, butter, and remaining white sugar, stirring well to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fruit begins to bubble and spit. Use a skimmer to skim off any foam that forms. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently to keep the fruit from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  6. Begin testing the jam for doneness. Spread 1/2 teaspoon of cooked fruit on the cold plate and place it back in the freezer. Wait 30 seconds, then run your finger through the fruit. It should be thick enough to maintain a path when you ran your finger through it. If you’d like thicker jam, place the plate back in the freezer and cook the fruit for another 3 minutes and test again. Repeat until desired thickness is achieved, but be careful about cooking too long or you will alter the taste and texture of your jam.
  7. Remove pot from heat and use a spoon to skim any foam from the surface of the fruit. Ladle jam into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2-inch of headroom, and process them in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Unopened jars will keep at room temperature for up to 6 months. Opened jam should be refrigerated and will last two weeks.
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Knox County Elementary students collect donations for Food For The Hungry.

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Marcy Rinehart had a chance to see the food collected from the Mount Vernon Elementary schools. It was picked up and delivered to Blubaugh Body and Frame on Monday 11/21/16. The 14 pallets of food will stay in a storage building until it is delivered to the food pantries on Saturday 12/10.
These donations will support the Knox County Food For The Hungry drive and be distributed to families through the Salvation Army and Interchurch Social Services.
Marcy talked with the collection coordinators: Sonja Smith from Delta Kappa Gamma and Cindi Doolittle from Psi Iota Xi. She also talked with Salvation Army Lt. Brandon Gonzalez-Cottrell and Food For The Hungry Coordinator, Lisa Mazzari about this collection.
Click HERE https://soundcloud.com/wnzr/sets/knox-county-elementary-students-collect-donations-for-food-for-the-hungry to hear their conversation.

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Travel tips for Thanksgiving – The Morning Thing 11/22/16

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Are you traveling for Thanksgiving? A lot of people will be taking to the roads or the air to spend time with family and friends.

AAA projects that 48.7 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving, an increase of one million travelers compared with last year. This represents a 1.9 percent increase over 2015, and the most Thanksgiving travelers since 2007. The Thanksgiving holiday travel period is defined as Wednesday, Nov. 23, to Sunday, Nov. 27.

Millions of people can cause stress in your trip, so The Morning Thing found some tips to survive your Thanksgiving trip.
We found 17 tips for making your Thanksgiving travel easier from http://www.mashable.com
Click HERE to find a tip that can help ease your stress.

Are you flying this holiday? Check out this list of the “worst” people you can find on your flight. Click HERE and try to avoid being one of “those people”.

Picture from USA Today.

 

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Congratulations to the 2017 Distinguished Young Women of Knox County!

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WNZR congratulates the winners in the 2017 Distinguished Young Women of Knox County Scholarship Program.

2017 Distinguished Young Woman – Sophia Oster of Fredericktown
1st Runner-Up – Lindsey Conant of Mount Vernon
2nd Runner-Up – Holly McClay of Fredericktown

Fitness Winners: Sophia Oster and Eva Hawk

Talent Winners: Fredy Bockover and Maya McDonald

Scholastic Winners: Nichole Steady and Kennedy Bell

Interview Winners: Elizabeth Day and Nichole Steady

Self-Expression Winners: Holly McClay and Victoria Risko

Be Your Best Self Speech Winner: Holly McClay

Spirit Winners: Nichole Steady (Pink Group) and Holly McClay (Blue Group)

Ron Staats Community Service Award Winner: Nichole Steady

Marcy Rinehart of The Morning Thing had a chance to talk with the top winners on Saturday night at Memorial Theater.

 

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Stressed out about Thanksgiving? Here is a Make-Ahead Meal Plan from the Barefoot Contessa from Food Network

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Are you hosting Thanksgiving at your house? Congratulations! You get the challenge of planning the menu, decorating the table and preparing one of the most important (and talked about) meals of the year!

Don’t be afraid, Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa, from the Food Network gives some great advice – Make the Meal ahead of time!
Can you do that? The expert chef says YES!!
In her book “Make It Ahead”, she shares the tricks of preparing dishes ahead of time so that you can focus on your guests for the big day.

Click HERE for some unique recipes and tips to help you ease the stress for Turkey Day.

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Get more out of your bible study – some tips from www.biblestudytools.com

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We all know that bible study is vital for our lives. If you are like us, you are always looking for ways to enhance your bible study time.
Good news! The Morning Thing team found some great tips from www.biblestudytools.com

Mark Altrogge, the senior pastor of Saving Grace Church in Indiana, Pennsylvania shares 8 tips to get more out of your bible study. He has written hundreds of songs for worship, including “Stand in Awe” and “Forever Grateful”. Mark and his wife, Kristi, have five children and five grandchildren. Find out more on his blog, http://www.theblazingcenter.com

Click HERE for the full article.

1. Prepare the night before

Every night before going to bed, I grind some coffee, put a filter in my Aeropress coffee maker, put my coffee cup on the counter and fill my Hot Shot with water, so all I need to do is push a button to heat the water for my morning cup o’ joe. I make sure everything I need – Bible, marker, journal, Kleenex – is on the stand next to the couch in the den. This saves me having to scramble around wasting time in the morning, and I can get reading more quickly.

2. Pray

I usually spend a couple minutes praying before I read. I thank my Father for his love and the gift of sleep, and for protecting my family and me during the night. I also thank him for his gracious invitation for me to enter boldly into his presence through the merits and blood of Jesus. Then I often pray John Piper’s I-O-U’S: “Incline my heart to your testimonies,” “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law,” “Unite my heart to fear your name,” and “Satisfy me with your love.”

3. Same time, same place every day.

Find your best time, when you can concentrate and have the least number of distractions. For me, it’s first thing in the morning. The house is quiet and no one else is up. If I start in on projects or reading the news, I never get to reading the Bible. In the evening I’m too distracted and tired. For some, evening is their best time. The important thing is to find a time when you are least distracted and can concentrate.

I read in the same place every day. As I said earlier, I keep my Bible, marker, journal and prayer notebook on the end table next to the couch in the den. That way I don’t have to waste time searching through the house for things before I read.

4. Keep track of what you read

After reading, in the back of my journal I write the day, date, and the passage I read. That way I don’t have to try to remember where I left off the day before. You can use a bookmark as long as it doesn’t fall out and you lose your place.

5. Write in your Bible

Don’t hesitate to underline, write in the margins, or circle words. Underlining and writing helps us concentrate more on what we’re reading. My favorite marker is a light blue Sanford China Marker. You can underline lightly or darker and it never bleeds through the page.

6. Read consecutively

Don’t skip around or play Bible Roulette. Finish one book before going to another. One way to consistently read through the Bible is to read through Matthew, then Genesis. Then Mark, then Exodus and so on. If you are keeping track of what you’ve read, you’ll eventually work through the whole Bible. Nothing is more discouraging than picking up the Bible and reading at random every day.

7. Use a journal

I’ve used journals for years in my devotions. I like Moleskine lined journals. As you read, write down any verses that stand out to you or any thoughts you have about the passage. Writing slows you down and helps you focus. I usually try to look for one key verse or passage that stands out to me from that day’s reading to record in my journal.

8. Respond to what you’ve read

After recording one key verse or passage in my journal, I usually write a prayer in response. This prayer will sometimes be worship and praise to God for the truth I’ve just read about him or it may be supplication for him to change me to conform with his word. I keep the prayer to one, maybe two pages at the most. It takes me about ten minutes and propels me into my prayer time.

Whether you use these approaches or you have your own, try to build consistent habits of reading the Bible. There’s no better way to fellowship with Jesus and delight in him.

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MVNU supports Food for the Hungry through “Knox Needs”

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The campus of Mount Vernon Nazarene University has multiple events this week to support the Knox County Food for the Hungry drive.

Marcy Rinehart of The Morning Thing talked with Katie Sherman, Human Resources Specialist about Knox Needs. Click HERE to hear about how the students, faculty and staff are getting involved to support families in our community.

MVNU is hosting Knox Needs to support Food for the Hungry!
Food insecurity is the unfortunate reality that at least some household members are uncertain of having, or unable to acquire, enough food due to insufficient resources. Knox County is one county in which food insecurity is on the rise.

Knox Needs is MVNU’s partnership with Food for the Hungry to provide meals and stable housing for our brothers and sisters in Knox County.

GET THE FACTS

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So what can YOU do? GET INVOLVED! MVNU is hosting 2 different events this week!

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It is National Entrepreneurs Day and National Philanthropy Day – The Morning Thing 11/15/16

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11/15/16 is a special day! Today is a day to celebrate Entrepreneurs and Philanthropists.
Big words….yeah…but all of us can have the spirit of these special people.

Let’s start with National Entrepreneurs Day. What is it?
(From www.daysoftheyear.com) From the postage stamp to the jet engine, and the cheeseburger to the microchip, radical inventions by brilliant minds have changed the way we live our lives and shaped our futures. In recognition of these people you can now celebrate Entrepreneurship Day which, since its inauguration in 2010, is an annual event that honors those men and women who have very often created an empire from absolutely nothing, most of them making themselves rather wealthy in the process as well. America is a country made of entrepreneurs. Men and women who built something from nothing. Created jobs. Made America what it is today. Click HERE to read more about Entrepreneurs Day.
We shared a list of history’s most famous entrepreneurs, from past to present. Click HERE to learn how they rose to the top.

It is also National Philanthropy Day.
(from www.afpnet.org) Philanthropy is “the love of humankind,” and National Philanthropy Day® (NPD)—November 15—is the day that thousands of people around the world come together to both (1) put that word into action and (2) recognize the change that word has brought to our communities.

NPD is a celebration of philanthropy—giving, volunteering and charitable engagement—that highlights the accomplishments, large and small, that philanthropy—and all those involved in the philanthropic process—makes to our society and our world.
Click HERE to read more about why we celebrate this day.

What does the bible say about giving? www.biblestudytools.com gives us 10 essential truths about Christian giving. Click HERE for the full article.

1. The Lord Jesus expects and requires us to give. Jesus said to His disciples, “when you give” not “if you give” (Matthew 6:2)! Hence, Christian giving is not optional, but rather essential.  Are you giving?

2. The Lord Jesus wants us to give for the right reasons. Jesus warned His disciples not to give for the sake of being admired by men. “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them,” He said (Matthew 6:1). When we give, we must be careful to examine our motives.  Are you giving for God’s praise or man’s?

3. The Lord Jesus wants us to practice benevolent or charitable giving. Jesus said “When you give to the poor . . . .” (Matthew 6:2-3). Jesus is specifically teaching about “alms” in this passage: aid, charity, or benevolent offerings for the needy. Do you give amply enough to the Church that she can be generous in benevolent giving?

4. The Lord Jesus reminds us that our giving is ultimately to the all-seeing heavenly Father.Jesus said “When you give . . . ; your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:3-4). When we give, we are not simply adding to the Church budget, we are giving up a thank offering to the Father Himself. Are you conscious of the fact that your giving is to the Lord and seen by the Lord?

5. The Bible teaches that Christian giving is an act of worship. In connection with the previous point, we see this truth stressed in another way in Paul’s word’s “On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save” (1 Corinthians 16:2). Paul here teaches the Corinthians that their taking up of the collection is an act of worship which is to be a part of their regular Lord’s Day worship. When we put our money in the plate, we are worshiping Almighty God in accordance with His Word. Note well, Paul is speaking here of a “collection for the saints” – this is giving by the Church to the Church for the Church. Did you realize that giving is a part of worship? Is your worship in this area abundant or inhibited? Is giving to the Church a priority with you?

6. The Bible teaches that Christian giving should be done in light of the incarnation. Many Christians argue about whether the tithe (10% of our income) is still the standard for our giving to the Church (disputants usually want to show that less than 10% is fine). Do you try to get by with giving as little as possible to the Lord, or do you give in view of the Lord’s costly sacrifice?

7. The Bible teaches that Christian giving should be done in accordance with our means. Paul is quite clear on this: “For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have” (2 Corinthians 8:12).  Are you really giving in proportion to the material blessings that the Lord has given you?

8. The Bible teaches that the liberality of God’s blessings to us is connected to the liberality of our Christian giving. Though it may seem strange, both Jesus and Paul emphasize that there is a relation between our giving to the Lord and the Lord’s giving to us. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9:6 “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” Do you realize that the Lord has given you much, so that you can give much?

9. The Bible teaches that Christian giving must be willing giving, free giving. We learn this in 2 Corinthians 9:7 “Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion.” Is your giving to the Church something you do wholeheartedly, or indifferently, or grudgingly?

10. The Bible teaches that Christian giving ought to be cheerful giving. As Paul says “God loves a cheerful giver.” This is a truly amazing assertion. Paul assures us here that the Lord takes a special delight in those who are joyful, energetic, merry givers. Is there joy in your heart as you give? Can you truly be characterized as a “cheerful giver”?

We have not come close to reaching our potential for giving. Won’t you pray that we will give as we ought? That we will give for the right motives? That we will give joyously? And that we will give extravagantly.

Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III is the Senior Minister of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississippi.

So how can YOU give today?

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#1 – Give to Operation Christmas Child. Click HERE for a list of locations accepting shoeboxes THIS week. The national collection continues through Monday, 11/21/16.

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#2 – Get involved with Food For The Hungry. Click HERE to see a list of upcoming events. Find something on the calendar that your family would enjoy and get connected to this wonderful outreach for our community.

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