Okay, so I was running around doing errands before the big classic car show (“The Holy Rollers are coming, aiyeee, et cetera”) at Holy Moly tomorrow, and I passed this sign.

Now, previously we’ve always been focused on pledges and budgets and can we afford this and that and “we’ve always done it this way” each year, and not really doing much to actually HELP people less fortunate than ourselves. Because to put it baldly, compared with some of the people and charities we’ve been talking about supporting, we’re rolling in dough. Yes, comparatively, and that’s in a year where we’re worried we might not be here at all after next spring or so. And Father Ted has been challenging us lately to step up to the plate and find a need in the community that we can fill. Yes, he’s worried about his future, too, but he’s also concerned that we weren’t doing much for anyone else except having our nice little churchy ways just so every Sunday.

Well, after the hoopla is over with the car show, we’re going to be talking about giving more than lip-service support and literally a small amount of pocket change to the Schaumburg Food Pantry, which is about the only local charity we’ve been sending money. On a monthly basis, one of our guys collects little “pence” cans that we’re supposed to put pocket change in. Also, most weeks some people bring food to donate, something I’ve never gotten involved in before. But tonight as I drove by, I spotted the sign and decided, “Okay. Next stop is the grocery store anyway. I’m picking up some of the things on that list and taking it to church tomorrow to be taken up to the altar with everyone else’s Food Pantry donations.”

So I bought a couple of big jugs of Prego sauce, several boxes of spaghetti, several cans of tuna, and a big jar of peanut butter. I figure someone else will be donating jelly and paper products, so I’m covered.

Another charity we’re going to kick around is supporting part of Women For Women International, because Colleen the Bishop’s Warden (Episco-translation: she’s the lay leader) saw something on it on Oprah a while back, and it’s been haunting her ever since.

And another thing we might discuss for a future project is kind of a no-brainer: Father Ted is doing some side work with a counseling service, and they’re talking about doing a fundraising walk for AIDS next fall. Apparently some or most of the clients are HIV positive, so getting a number of us involved in that would be a good thing.

I’ve blogged at Holy Moly about a couple of other possibilities. I’m interested in seeing how we can help out PADS – we kicked around the idea months ago of seeing if we could volunteer at the nearest PADS location, which is at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Schaumburg. We’re not capable of getting a PADS shelter program up and running, but we might be able to make a few dozen sandwiches and put together dental goodie bags.

There are other worthy causes – micro-loans for for widows in developing countries, the Heifer Project, Little City, and many more.

We ought to worry less about the money, and do more for other people. It might be nice for us to realize that we’re needed, too.

Originally uploaded by GinnyRED57.