Why it’s time for the offering bags to return

At most churches everything appears pre-COVID.

All ministries have reactivated.

Attendance is back to normal.

Christmas will be business-as-usual.

Of course, the signs of COVID still linger.

COVID safety plans are still in effect - some social distancing, stay away if you’re sick, online services are still an option to tune in to.

But, one thing has remained absent - the offering bag.

These velvet pouches or wooden plates have remained in mothballs.

But, it’s time they returned.

Why?

Because we need to get back into the habit of giving.

We need to be reminded that giving is a communal activity.

We need to remember that giving is a physical discipline.

Online, direct-debit, giving - while absolutely essential during lockdowns - has stripped the congregation of the tangible-ness of the offering.

We need to get that back.

If we don’t, the offering will remain another weekly bill that we barely notice.

The habit of bringing your offering will go unlearnt by younger generations.

While I’m sure the offering bags won’t overflow with their reintroduction, since cash is a far rarer commodity nowadays, the lessons that the offering bags teach are well worth their return.