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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Potluck (Meal or Gathering) Deadline 7-26-12 @ 10 AM NY Time (07/19/12)
Generous souls are a delight, especially when it involves food and its preparation.

Food is enjoyable; and yes, Jesus thought there should be some of it left over. Recall the five fishes and two loaves in the feeding of the five thousand; and the feeding of the four thousand as well? There was food left over! I am convinced that when we celebrate together in any function including food, there should be plenty of it.

Most of the occasions I have attended have been tables spread fit for a king; but then, there have been a few of the other kind.

While my husband was studying at the University of Illinois we attended one of the churches on Campus. I am never sure how it happened, but I am not complaining; I loved the assignment given to me of “The Church Hostess.”

It was my duty to plan all the church meals for gatherings and to see to the Morning Coffee and Donuts on Sundays. I decorated the kitchen and dining hall, I shopped, I stocked the kitchen and yes, I saw also to the proper cleaning of everything.

I loved the mix of different Nationalities present there from the Campus and we had programs presented by a different group of Nationals each Sunday with our coffee and donuts.

There was a valuable lesson I learned, it was to always prepare a “Planned Sign-Up Sheet for Potluck Meals. I also learned that when you plan a potluck meal you should consider the financial status of the Bringers of the food.

Students are notoriously poor. Bless them! Most likely there will never be a time in their lives when they are poorer. Sometimes the “Bring whatever you want to bring” thing, is a mistake.

Salads, Moon Pies and Chips, and there was none left over. My fault; I did not plan well, but I never did it again.

God generously gives to us. I am keenly aware that plenty and generosity are among His wonderful attitudes toward us. I think His words, “Freely you have received so freely give” covers all the activities of our lives. We have many things to give, kind words and prayers, money, clothes, food and the services of our hands.

Often it appears that the Church at large and the local congregation, is an Unplanned Pot Luck. We can be certain however that God has carefully planned and has called for each group, believers who possess gifts of various kinds that will cause the Group to function well.

If the assignees will give of the
gift(s) which they have received, there will be all that is needed to minister to the Congregants with plenty left over to reach out to the community, and even to the world.

Yes, God has a Plan and He envisioned it long ago. It is just that you and I need to bring to the Gathering the thing He has given to us individually and there will be all that is needed with plenty to spare.

Let us not allow our Church look like an unplanned potluck because we did not bring plenty of our best, and in bringing those gifts, to share them, to receive from the gifts of other givers, and thereby to bless each other.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Laura Manley
07/26/12
Your entry covers examples from Jesus feeding the multitudes with five fishes and two loaves of bread to the poor student who basically brought what he/she survived with on a daily basis. Yes, it is important to plan out potluck-type meals and even donut bringing. We have our own signup sheets at my church which do help a lot. Your entry was thought-provoking as it was a different take on the subject matter.
C D Swanson 
07/27/12
Nicely written and clever entry...and certainly on topic. I enjoyed it, thank you. God Bless~
CrisC Ramirez
07/29/12
Wonderful. Love the message of using our individual gifts to minister to others. Hit the spot! I also thought your analogies with the fish was a wonderful connect.

Well written.
lynn gipson 
07/29/12
well written and very interesting. I enjoyed it.
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
07/30/12
This is a nice twist on the topic this week. I liked how yo0u really showed the message that everyone has something valuable to give regardless of how much money they may have.