2007 November » russbutcher.com

Televangelists and Marble Toilets

Nov 082007

Another thought on televangelists and their lifestyle issues:

How appropriate is it to be given a last name “Dollar” and end up scamming people in the name of God, Jesus and religion?

Of course, he may have had his name changed for more impact.

I am thinking of changing my name to “Rusty Cent”.

I can see some big things happening for me. I am going out to buy bigger offering baskets today!

Sorry, I had to vent!

End of the week thoughts: 4 days late

Church at the Grove, Random Thoughts No Responses »

Nov 082007

What a week! It has been an unorthodox week to say the least. I have had a crazy schedule, some unexpected decisions, and hardly any down time to sit and blog. This is not good! Although it has been a challenging week, I am back on the blogging trail and trying to catch up. Here are some catch up thoughts:

This past Sunday was an incredible Sunday at CATGrove! We saw God do some significant things in the life of some individuals and families.
The response to the opening week of our “Rich Man Poor Man” series has been great. I think there is a ton of inner reflection going on in people’s hearts. I have my bag of skittles sitting in my car. I am praying, “SHOW ME THE SKITTLES!”
Our offering was significant. It is one of the largest offerings we have had in a long time!
My heart goes out to a young lady at CATGrove that has a husband serving in the military overseas. His name is Shawn. Pray for him, his wife and kids and that God can sustain them during this touch time.
What is the deal with all the STUPID televangelists and their extravagant spending? Don’t they know they are ruining everything for those of us trying to connect with people that already are skeptical of church? Who needs a marble toilet? They can sit their big fat butt on a piece of plastic or porcelain like the rest of us!
The Georgia DAWGS scraped by Troy this past Saturday. Do they have what it takes to handle Auburn this Saturday in Athens? Who knows? I will be watching! Anyone care to join me over some wings?
I am teaching about tithing this Sunday. SCARY! Anyone have any thoughts on the best way to address the topic with many unchurched and disconnected people coming to church? Share your thoughts with me.
Sorry for the blogging delay this week. I will be posting some catch up blogs over the next day or two. I have some cool and weird stuff to share.

Shop with a Hero

Church at the Grove, Community, Missional 3 Responses »

Nov 032007

I am looking foward to December 1 when we partner children from our community with local law enforcement officers and firefighters for some Christmas shopping!

Shop With A Hero is an experience created to meet practical needs in the lives of children in this community and to bridge the gap of division often existing between children with needs and law enforcement personnel.

The Christmas season is a perfect opportunity to meet needs in the lives of children in the form of gifts and presents. The Shop With a Hero experience will consist of partnering a person in uniform (law enforcement, firefighter, EMT, etc) with a child. The child will be given a gift card and taken on a shopping experience lasting 45 minutes-1hour. Their guide for this shopping experience is a person in uniform. The objective is to give the child an incredible Christmas and to create an atmosphere where the child and the person in uniform have a meaningful conversation.

Where: Loganville Walmart

When: Saturday December 1

Time: 9am-12noon

Layout and plan: There will be a staging area setup in the Walmart parking lot with tents, coffee, hot chocolate etc. The children will check in with volunteers and partnered with a person in uniform. They will then be escorted to Walmart for an approximately 45 minute-1 hour experience.

Staging area: Parents and children will check in with verifiable paperwork and be treated to smiles, coffee, hot chocolate etc. The parents will be welcome to accompany the child into Walmart but if not, they will be allowed to hang out in the staging area where they will be given VIP treatment.

Volunteers:

Volunteers will set up staging area and serve drinks etc. Volunteers will help check in children and greet parents. They will partner children with a person in uniform and send them into Walmart for their shopping experience. The children will be assigned a time to check in and the uniform personnel will rotate will additional children as they finish their shopping ventures. At noon, volunteers will breakdown the staging area.

What are the needs?

We need people that would spend a small amount of time organizing a staging area in the parking lot of Wal-Mart in Loganville, scheduling and partnering a child with a person in uniform.

Donations: We will be giving each child a $100 gift card to shop for their Christmas Experience. WE NEED DONATIONS OF MONEY.Check out the pic below: Wal-Mart has made the first financial investment into Shop With A Hero.