BY JIM DANT
You and others have begun to ask the question, “What do you want for your 60th birthday this year? (The vocal emphasis always seems to be on ‘60th.’) I’m at that stage in life where I have all I need and most of what I want, so I really don’t ask for much. In the last seven years, I’ve made two personal requests of you: 1) Several years ago, I asked you to attend the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of South Carolina’s Annual Gathering at our church. I did not want the ‘host church’ to be poorly represented and the host pastor (me) to subsequently be embarrassed. You showed up in droves! 2) I asked you to take care of me as I recovered from heart surgery by refraining from sending casseroles and rather generously sending cards. You mailed messages in droves! My requests typically have more to do with the needs of others rather than myself. The same holds true for my birthday wishes this year. If you really want to make my birthday a happy one, here are three gifts you might consider:
Give cans of fruit to the United Ministries Food Pantry. On Wednesday, September 22 (my birthday), at 6:15 pm, I’d love for you to come to MidWeek Fellowship in our Fellowship Hall, hear Lizzie Bebber (Executive Director of United Ministries) speak, and bring 6 (or any multiple of 6: 12, 36, 60) cans of fruit for United Ministries. If you can’t come to MidWeek Fellowship, drop them by the church any time before September 22….and/or…
Make a donation to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society as I prepare to race with Team in Training in 2022. My training for this race will not only help restore my health and fitness, but it will also benefit patients and medical professionals dealing with blood cancers. You can make your donation online …and/or…
Finally, make an additional donation to your church. (If you’re reading this and you are not a member of First Baptist Greenville, make the donation to ‘your’ church). This is going to be a tough financial year for many churches. I want us to end our 8th budget cycle together the way we’ve ended seven others…over-giving. That only happens if we make it happen.
That’s all I want for my birthday…
—Jim