As Churches do their Conferences, Seed Sowings and even Harvest Thanksgivings in Big Cities and Towns with various Themes as well as Class Fees or Membership Payments, kindly Remember your Village Home Church as you contemplate on the thoughts below:
In a typical City Church, almost every weekend there is a wedding or thanksgiving, but in a typical Village Church, almost every weekend there is a funeral.
In a typical City Church, no one will know you so much unless you really want to be that well known. People make donations freely and even anonymously. People pay tithes and make huge offerings or donations.
But in a typical Village Church, everyone knows one another including where each person lives. Every family makes contributions for whatever projects they have. People don’t pay real tithes as such, they pay little levies as they can.
In most cases, people remember the City Church when they have something big to show. While they remember the Village Church when what to show is not much or has been exhausted.
A typical example is funeral.
When the person is alive and bubbling, he gives his whole self to the City Church, but when he dies and is lifeless, his whole body is brought to the Village Home Church for burial.
I have served in both City and Village Churches. The challenge in the Village church is enormous. In most of the Village Churches I have served, the offerings they make in a year is often less than what some City Churches make in one Service.
Most times, the only way they survive is through levies which unfortunately, people don’t usually comply with until serious measures are put. Funeral is one of such measures. Though I may not like it, but you will need to be in their shoes to truly understand.
I think we all have to be a little more responsible to our faith. This indeed calls for urgent repentance. Why do we only remember our Village Churches when it is time for marriage bans or burial announcements? If you consider your body good enough to be buried in the Village Home Church, why do you think doing a little contribution to help them take care of the faith of your own Village people will be a bad idea especially at a time like this, and other times.
We pay tithes in big Churches, give huge offerings, donate handsomely for harvests, but we forget the Home Church where we originated from and where our grandmothers, grandfathers, uncles and aunts in the village are being nourished spiritually. When they are sick, the Priest struggles with the road to go and take care of them, pray for them, give them Communion or anoint them.
During the time of need like, Conferences, Harvests and Seed Sowing, please send something to your Home Church. Don’t wait until you are dead and they begin to remind your dead body how dormant or otherwise you have been to them.
While you give to the Churches in the City, put something aside also for your Home Church in the village and fully support their activities and other projects. Someday, your friends, business partners, colleagues, associates and even members of that your City Church may have to come there on your behalf.
Be wise and responsible today, please
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Always remember Your Village Home Church in Your Givings, please!