Worthwhile ...

Today I helped serve at a community event. Our local Kiwanis Club, of which I am a member, sponsors a special scholarship fund. Every year we have a "Soup and Pie" supper/lunch/dinner. We have 5 different kinds of soup available and at least that many different kinds of pie. For $5 you can come and eat as much soup and pie as you desire, the cost also includes a beverage. We award scholarships of $1,000 or $1,500, I can't remember which to 7 of our high schools graduating seniors each year. The fund is continuing to grow, when the program began I believe there were on 3 scholarships given each year and they were for less money.

The community, and surrounding areas, really come out to support this cause. Each member of our club donates money to offset the cost of most of the food so the fund receives more money. Several hundred people attend each year and there is advertising sold in a booklet that explains the scholarship and its history. I worked at the event for 3 1/2 hours or so. Helping get set up and then serving soup. It was so much fun to help with something so worthy and to work with the other members of the club.

It was also fun to serve soup with a fellow pastor and see people seem surprised that pastors were working at the event. I love to mess with people's perception of a pastor. The reason I enjoy that is I believe most people's perception is off base. Pastors should be attending, supporting and working at these events, even to the exclusion of some of their church duties. Because after all, that is the kind of thing that Jesus did. I also enjoy it because maybe it will encourage a non-believer to give church a try when they see that Pastors are real people who do real stuff in the real community.

The soup was wonderfu, and I was so good I stayed away from the pie.

Here's hoping you have something to invest yourself into, in and out of the church.