Again the offering was double the previous year for the same size crowd. So by August we began not passing the plate, but putting them on little tables or flower stands by each door to the sanctuary. From Sept. to May, we doubled the loose plate giving. At Ashton UMC this was my first suggestion to be a major new direction. Here is why I think it works the way it does.
Most loyal members give monthly by check in their own envelope.
The other three Sundays they are in attendance, they place a dollar in the plate when it is passed by them. They have already given their support on the first Sunday of the month, and they are too embarrassed to pass the plate without putting anything in it. Realizing that a dollar hardly pays for the bulletin. That person probably put out 50 to 75 dollars the night before on pizza, a baby sitter and dinner and the movies for himself and spouse. When we stopped passing the plate we took away the bad example and let people decide to show their gratitude to God for their blessings based on their own feelings of worth.