The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 1 Tim 5:17

How well do you know your pastor?  Does he has hobby?

If your pastor has a hobby, fill a basket with some supplies. If it is fishing, purchase a few lures; if it is writing, find a nice journal; if trains, find a book about a rail line or train collectables. Be creative!

This is the message I’ve been set apart to proclaim as preacher, emissary and teacher.   2Tim 1:11 MSG

Thank you pastors, for your dedication to serving God with your time, touch, treasures and talent.

Here is an interesting idea I found on a web forum to show your appreciation to your pastor.  Have a  “Pounding Party”. Everyone brings “a pound” of some food and stocks his pantry with all kinds of goodies he probably would not have been able to buy for himself.

Three things in life that, once gone, never come back -
1. Time
2. Words
3. Opportunity
Three things in life that can destroy a person -
1. Anger
2. Pride
3. Unforgiveness
Three things in life that you should never lose-
1. Hope
2. Peace
3. Honesty
Three things in life that are most valuable -
1. Love
2. Family &Friends
3. Kindness
Three things in life that are never certain -
1. Fortune
2. Success
3. Dreams
Three things that make a person -
1. Commitment
2. Sincerity
3. Hard work
Three things that are truly constant -
Father – Son – Holy Spirit

I ask the Lord to bless you, as I pray for you today; to guide you and protect you, as you go along your way. God’s love is always with you, God’s promises are true. And when you give God all your cares, you know God will see you through.

My dear congregation, I, your pastor, love you in very truth. 2John 1:1 MSG

Here’s a personalized item you can create for your pastor. Give him a  nicely decorated scrap book and have members of the congregation fill in one or two lines of ‘You are a Blessing because…’ or something like that. Keep it short, light, and sweet. Let him know that he is special in your lives and he is appreciated.

Appreciate your pastor leaders who gave you the Word of God.  Heb 13:7

Here is an idea you could do yourself or with a groupl

Take 2 mason jars and decorate them. One for the pastor and one for his wife (who is always overlooked!) Write a daily encouragement, prayer, or verse on a small piece of paper. The paper will be folded up and placed in the jar. That should provide enough to last them a month or two. Then each and every day they will be reminded just how much  you appreciate them!

I couldn’t stop thanking God for you – every time I prayed, I’d think of you and give thanks.   Ephesians 1:16

Here is a list of ways to show your appreciation to your pastor. I don’t know where this list came from, I found it on the internet one day and neglected to mark the page. My apologies to the author.

   

Your teddy bear sits patiently waiting for you to return from each day. He/She listens quietly as you talk out all the pressures you experienced through the day.

Now it is time to show your teddy bear just what you do all day.  October 11 is Take Your Teddy Bear to Work Day. Teddy promises to sit quietly and not disturb you during that important business meeting. Teddy will smile sweetly as you negotiate a new contract with your client.  And teddy will not even ask you to share that chocolate shake you have for lunch.

 

One of my favorite Bible stories is of Esther.  An orphan girl living with her cousin, she is taken by order of the King to ‘audition’ for the role of queen.  She wins the king’s favor and becomes queen but lives in a castle with the king and his other wives and women.  She cannot speak to him unless he calls her to him and if she loses favor in his eyes she can be banished just like her predecessor. 

Her story is being told in theaters next week.  One Night with the King opens in many theaters October 13. For details and to go to the promotional website click here.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another…  1John 1:7

WHY GO TO CHURCH?

A Churchgoer wrote a letter to the editor of the newspaper and  complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. “I’ve  gone for 30 years now,” he wrote, “and in that time I have heard  something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can’t remember a single one of them. So I think I’m wasting time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all.”

This started a real controversy in the “Letters to the Editor” column, much to the delight of the editor.

It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

“I’ve been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals, but for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this: They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be  spiritually dead today!”