Summers have been difficult in...
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Summers have been difficult in terms of attendance for some congregations in a
particular rust belt and farm community. This is the time when giving falls way below the
budget. Some church leaders look out at the faithful worshipers in the pews who are
waving the funeral home donated hand fans to keep cool. It is in such hot, August days
that this text of Jesus feeding the 5,000 with the help of the five barley loaves of bread
and two fish reminds us that all things are possible with Jesus who (in John's Gospel)
came that we may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10).
In one of these same communities with low summer attendance a little child got terribly ill during the summer time. The family had horrendous medical bills to pay. Now these small town churches all got together and sponsored an ice cream social to raise money for the family. It then occurred that rather than focusing on the smaller amounts of weekly giving and attendance in the local churches, God was also working through people discovering how they can live out their faith when there is a need in the community. In the John 6 text today, there was a need and somehow the community with Christ's help rallied around and provided more than enough food.
In one of these same communities with low summer attendance a little child got terribly ill during the summer time. The family had horrendous medical bills to pay. Now these small town churches all got together and sponsored an ice cream social to raise money for the family. It then occurred that rather than focusing on the smaller amounts of weekly giving and attendance in the local churches, God was also working through people discovering how they can live out their faith when there is a need in the community. In the John 6 text today, there was a need and somehow the community with Christ's help rallied around and provided more than enough food.
