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THE LAMP
You are the
light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No
one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but
on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the
same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may
see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
My brother is one who let his light shine.
In 1989 we buried his 16-year-old daughter the day after
Christmas. Wayne was devastated. At the time he was president of
his ELCA church council.
We were amazed at the number of people who
told us how much Sunday school meant to Amy. These testimonials
came from friends, neighbors, the elderly, but especially from
her classmates at public school.
Shortly thereafter, Wayne attended a synod
meeting where a new program was introduced. The plan was for
members to pledge a minimum of $100 a year to a new
church/Sunday School building fund. They got fewer than 20
pledges. Wayne said to the bishop, “If I couldn’t sell something
that important better than that, I wouldn’t try.” To which the
bishop replied, “If you think you can do better, Wayne, we’ll
just let you.” “OK!” Wayne answered.
For the next three years, most Sundays, he
preached in ELCA churches all over Florida. He talked about how
important Sunday school had been to his daughter and what it
meant to him to know how deeply she had been influenced by
attending church. He ended by telling audience members that they
had the opportunity to make such an influence available for all
the children of the synod, and what a shame it would be if they
lost any child for lack of a building for worship. After he
raised more than $750,000, he was on the cover of The
Lutheran.
He had two lights to shine: that of a
salesman and that of his love for family. You have a light to
shine too. You can fold bulletins, make prayer shawls and
blankets, greet people, be a lector, sing in choir or visit the
sick or imprisoned. Nothing is too humble to serve the One who
gave his life for us.
Dear Lord, help me to shine my light for
your glory. Amen
Jolene Dougherty
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