Best time in service to recieve the offering?

[righteousdude2]

I have been witnessing a change in how churches take the offering as well as when. I would like to know what time during the service is set aside for the offering, and the manner it is collected?

For instance. A local church takes the offering at the beginning of church. Another church has the people walk their offering up to the front and drop their offering in a large basket!

Some churches no longer take the offering during the service, instead they have the congregation drop the offering into buckets set at the exit doors, and instruct everyone to drop their offering into the buckets as they exit the church!!

I have a hard time with these kinds of changes, and prefer to still take it after the announcements, which comes right before I preach! And the "hushers" still pass among the people and collect it in offering trays! With that said, some churches even use bags with handles. And one church uses KFC buckets; I understand the assistant pastor works there during the week!

To each their own! But it would be fun to read what others do. Shalom! :wavey:

 

[InTheLight]

My church takes the offering after the announcements and just before the sermon. They use velvet- like bags about 10" deep topped with a round brass ring (bags are used so people can't see the money and it won't spill if dropped. Also very easy to pass to the next person.) Besides giving in the service as the bags are passed you can also give online or text your offering.

I agree with you that the best time is after the announcements and just before the sermon.

 

[wpe3bql]

Recently the church of which I'm a member (& have been for over 20 years) decided to move the offering time to right after the "invitation time" is over, IOW, right before the congregation is about to be dismissed.

Personally, I'd prefer the offering be taken right before they dismiss the children from grades 4 and under to attend Children's Church. [NOTE: They don't require children 9 YO or younger to leave at this time, but most parents let them do so. It's easier for most parents because then they don't have to constantly be "counseling" little Johnny or Janie to sit still...OR ELSE! No telling what that OR ELSE might involve, but the mere threat of invoking OR ELSE even would scare the wits out of me! And I'm a "good boy," or at least I TRY to be a good little boy! :thumbsup:]

Why at the end of the service? I'm not sure why. Some have told me it gives the impression to them that they're "paying" whoever it is whose preaching [We have several "elders" who preach from time to time.].

I don't see it that way, but apparently some do.

I guess if they really like a particular sermon, maybe they might be more generous in their offerings. OTOH, if whoever preaches starts "leaving off preaching and gone to meddling," well, maybe the offering might not be what they'd hoped it would be.

Who knows? As for me, I always figure out how much I deem the Lord would have me to give on Saturday, write out my check for that amount, put it in my offering envelope, seal it and bring it with me that Sunday morning--long before the preaching starts--and in some cases, long before I even know who'll be preaching during the service.

Works for me.

 

[plain_n_simple]

"I would like to know what time during the service is set aside for the offering, and the manner it is collected?"

It depends....if the music presentation/participation is good, take it right after the last organ note.. This will ensure a maximum amount even if the sermon is a sleeper. Hit the sheep while they are happy.

If the sermon turns out to be a barn-burner then take up another collection and call it special.

Remember...if the choir chokes, hold those plates back because the sermon is going to have to bring the crowd back up to draw any serious cash.

If you know ahead of time that the sermon just isn't your best because it was a daunting week, the band broke up, and half the choir has a cold, then be decisive:

Right at the start after the opening prayer, pull out two death and hell scriptures, do a quick guilt prayer, announce who's sick, died, and born, then two more scripts on our mortality. Hold back the hat until after the sermon, repeat the above. Brag about how they are big givers, pass the hat.

 

[HeDied4U]

The church I am currently attending takes up the offering after the sermon, during the announcements.

I have often humorously thought that the thinking for collecting it after the sermon is "you've heard me preach, now pay up for the privilege of having done so." But that's just my quirky sense of humor in action. :tongue3: :laugh:

 

[annsni]

Our service is basically:

Opening song
Welcome and announcements
Three songs
Pastoral prayer
Offering song/offering (can be a special music or a congregation sing)
Message
Closing song

 

[Deacon]

We don't have an offering; never did.

Offering boxes are placed near the entrances.

I have mine automatically deducted from my paycheck each month.

Rob

 

[padredurand]

We don't have an offering; never did.

Offering boxes are placed near the entrances.

I have mine automatically deducted from my paycheck each month.

Rob

Neither do we. We have a basket sitting on the piano. Folk leave their offering when they have a mind to.

 

[JonC]

The church I am currently attending takes up the offering after the sermon, during the announcements.

I have often humorously thought that the thinking for collecting it after the sermon is "you've heard me preach, now pay up for the privilege of having done so." But that's just my quirky sense of humor in action. :tongue3: :laugh:

Yep, if I were a preacher I think I'd have to collect at the beginning. We could call it admission. :smilewinkgrin:

 

[SaggyWoman]

The best time to take the offering is when people are ready to give it.

 

[JohnDeereFan]

Personally, I'd prefer the offering be taken right before they dismiss the children from grades 4 and under to attend Children's Church. [NOTE: They don't require children 9 YO or younger to leave at this time, but most parents let them do so. It's easier for most parents because then they don't have to constantly be "counseling" little Johnny or Janie to sit still...OR ELSE! No telling what that OR ELSE might involve, but the mere threat of invoking OR ELSE even would scare the wits out of me! And I'm a "good boy," or at least I TRY to be a good little boy! :thumbsup:]

One of THE worst fads in the Church today. I've never understood the logic behind segregating church by age, or sending children away when they can't sit still and then wondering why they've never learned to sit still.

 

[PreachTony]

To each their own! But it would be fun to read what others do. Shalom! :wavey:

You have a strange definition of "fun." :smilewinkgrin: (kidding)

My church takes up the offering after the first or second congregational song, just before our small church choir goes up to sing. This is typically 15-20 minutes before the preacher goes up to the pulpit. We have two deacons pass the collection plates.

My fiancee's church actually passes a hat. They have two fedora type hats that they pass to take up money. Also, they do this prior to the preaching.

 

[PreachTony]

One of THE worst fads in the Church today. I've never understood the logic behind segregating church by age, or sending children away when they can't sit still and then wondering why they've never learned to sit still.

Could not possibly agree more. It irks me when parents at bigger churches send their kids away, and then wonder why they don't know how to act during an actual service. My grandfather always said that if a preacher couldn't preach over a crying baby, then he needed to re-examine his preaching. Of course, he was being facetious, but there's a kernel of truth to it.

If I was going to "Children's Church," then who knows if I would've been saved at ten years old. The fact that I had sat under the preached gospel for so many years was definitely necessary for me, just as it is for everyone.

 

[JohnDeereFan]

Could not possibly agree more. It irks me when parents at bigger churches send their kids away, and then wonder why they don't know how to act during an actual service. My grandfather always said that if a preacher couldn't preach over a crying baby, then he needed to re-examine his preaching. Of course, he was being facetious, but there's a kernel of truth to it.

If I was going to "Children's Church," then who knows if I would've been saved at ten years old. The fact that I had sat under the preached gospel for so many years was definitely necessary for me, just as it is for everyone.

I agree. I believe their hearts are in the right place, wanting to minister to children, but separating children off in a "children's church" is a terrible way to go about it.

"But my children can't sit still". No child sits still. They have to learn to sit still by sitting still.

"But my child can't understand the big words". And how will he ever learn to understand them if he doesn't hear them? When I was a child, I drove my parents nuts asking "What does this mean?" "What does that mean?" It's how children learn.

"Children's church teaches my children in a way they can easily understand". Maybe. But what are they teaching? Most children's church services tend to be nothing but moral lessons, or turning Bible stories into children's fables. I know, for me personally, nothing irritates me more than seeing the flood turned into a story about a kindly old man with a boat who wanted to save all the animals.

One of the reasons young people leave the church is that all throughout their childhood, church was about fun. About playing games and singing songs and hearing fun stories and arts and crafts, all of which are fine, in their proper place. But then, all of a sudden, the child is expected to be adult and it becomes like a bait and switch. "Discipline, mortification, and study? What happened to games and gluing macaroni to construction paper?"

Now, granted, our church is only about eight years old, so we haven't gotten to see any children raised from small childhood to adulthood, but we have always made it very clear that church isn't a spectator sport and, from the day you join, no matter what age, you're being groomed for a ministry, to serve the Body an to take the Gospel out into the world.

As a result, we currently have five young men being mentored for ministry.

 

[Revmitchell]

One of THE worst fads in the Church today. I've never understood the logic behind segregating church by age, or sending children away when they can't sit still and then wondering why they've never learned to sit still.

They do not get sent away because they can't sit still. They are provided classes where they can be taught and learn at their level. Even then they must sit still for teaching.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

One of THE worst fads in the Church today. I've never understood the logic behind segregating church by age, or sending children away when they can't sit still and then wondering why they've never learned to sit still.

Completely agree with that statement....thank you:thumbs:

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

They do not get sent away because they can't sit still. They are provided classes where they can be taught and learn at their level. Even then they must sit still for teaching.

Isn't that the parents job...to teach?

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Neither do we. We have a basket sitting on the piano. Folk leave their offering when they have a mind to.

I'm liking you more & more & more. Too bad your such a distance....and I mean that sincerely.

 

[Revmitchell]

Isn't that the parents job...to teach?

It is not an either or. Anyway the fad involved here is by Calvinists who recently decided that childrens classes were against scripture. It is new and it is a fad.

 

[JohnDeereFan]

Anyway the fad involved here is by Calvinists who recently decided that childrens classes were against scripture. It is new and it is a fad.

By all means, please feel free to show us those verses that say that church is supposed to be segregated by age.

Do you have any? Because I have several that say children are to be taught by older saints.