Pay It Forward

Tomorrow is October 31st. The forecast is improving; rain is winding down today. Trick or Treat will be enjoyed by many families in our local community. As we always, say, “It’s nice to be nice.” Journey Church has given away FREE pizza slices downtown on Main Street for 7-8 years in a row. 

Years ago, we decided to help families with children; grab a bite to eat before candy give-away begins. This year we will distribute over 500 slices of pizza downtown on Main Street in front of the old court house. Help us get the word out. Tell others, it really is FREE; no tricks—just treats. A word to the wise, come early. When it is gone, it is gone.    

Families begin lining up about thirty minutes before Trick or Treat officially begins. During this pre-staging, Journey volunteers are there handing out the pizza. Snappy Pizza and Hunt Bro’s Pizza partner with us and sponsor the giveaway. It is really cool to be known in your community as the church giving away FREE pizza. Go God!  

One of our former Journey volunteers moved away to a neighboring community a few years ago. I just got his text:  “For the 3rd year in a row we are handing out 300 FREE grilled hot dogs, chips, and water during Trick or Treat.” My friend shared, “It’s that time of year again, our annual hot dog extravaganza is about to kick-off. Through your tireless efforts to literally ‘Be the church’ wherever you are… Journey has been an inspiration to us.” My friend and his volunteers decided to also ‘Be the church’ in their neighborhood, nearby. Go neighbors! Go God!  

I’m sharing this idea with you today. Maybe someone will decide to pick this up and try their own version, ‘Be the Church,” in another neighborhood. Make people smile and ask, “Why are you doing this?” Just tell them, Jesus would!  Go Jesus. 

This weekend at Journey Church Cynthiana we’re digging around in Romans 7. I’m pretty sure we’ll all walk away, thinking, “You know, Jesus has really made my life a lot better”! Life can be a bit of a struggle. Pray for people in Jamaica who are digging out and recovering from a devastating hurricane. Sometimes we lose everything we own. We’re grateful to be alive.  

Maybe this would be a great weekend, slow down, to look around, see (notice) people in our neighborhood—and just be kind. We don’t have to wait for Trick or Treat or a category 5 hurricane to demonstrate we care. If you’re doing OK today—pay it forward to someone who is not. You could buy a $20 meal or just share a free smile with pizza or a hot dog. 

Be the Church. Pay it forward.