Servant Church is growing! We had 51 people in worship yesterday and will have lots more next week due to a wedding. What makes Servant Church so amazing is the people. Everyone there goes the extra step to make our worship and service projects special. We save money at Servant Church. We don’t have displays like these
We just wouldn’t pay for altar flowers. It’s not that I judge people who do, it just would be weird for us. We’ve never had flowers at Servant Church. We’ve had vegetables from our CSA on the table and then people took those home to eat or give away. This week we had flowers. They were wonderful. I appreciated them not because someone had signed up to have them delivered that week as one more decoration or memorial, but because someone found them on the side of the road as they walked to church and brought them as an offering to bring joy into our worship space. And I’ve learned that I like to have flowers–when they are brought. Then, they become a thoughtful gift and not just something we do because…why?
Through the Dust 
It strikes me as somewhat pretentious to place a higher value on a spontaneous “found” gift than on one that someone took the time and had the forethought to intentionally purchase and bring to the altar as an offering to God. I would think that what is important is the motive behind the gift and that is not ours to judge.
I agree with you. I guess I was commenting on my experiences where it did not seem like flowers were being purchased with intentionality or as a gift…we were just doing it because that’s what “church looks like.” People put their name on the list, wrote a check, and then left the secretary to “deal with it”. They often forgot about them entirely. I often wondered if we could spend money differently if we weren’t buying flowers just because we had to have flowers. They did not feel like an offering. It was not like that everywhere. But, all the churches I’ve worked at where people brought their flowers with them…it’s been more meaningful for everyone. Part of the story is that she saw them on the walk to church, came in, got something to carry them with, left again, arranged them, etc. It was a process. I like that people are thinking of what they can bring to church on Sundays. I like that they see something thrown out and remake it into something beautiful. Very few people just show up…everyone shows up to really participate in worship. That is exciting. Sorry, my reply is long. It is probably because on the one hand, you are right. I cannot judge the heart of someone buying flowers for worship. On the other, I am still very glad for those who remake trash into something beautiful and spend time instead of money. Thank you for the reminder not to judge the former gift. I need that. Often.