Money for the Church.

Yesterday I went to Church. Mainly because when people that mater to me die, I tend to go to church. Even before I was a Christian, my mother would send me to get a prayer card at the church downtown for her when someone was sick or dying. So I formed the habit early. I suppose I was actually always a Christian, I just didn't believe in organized religion.

Well Church yesterday was an appeal for fundraising. Fr. Shen said something like, "You may not be putting your money in the bank, but you are putting your money in the bank of heaven for God and to help the poor. Your name will be recorded in God's Book and will be remembered."
I like Fr. Shen. But I laughed out loud. This sort of appeal sounded almost like indulgences, something I read about when going to Nativity. I would have just said, "This is your Church, and the Church needs money." and then list the stuff that you do. But either way you wouldn't get a large amount of money from me. But I did start thinking of ways to raise money that would also make St. James more cool.

For instance instead of the Bingo night that is popular in a lot of other Churches, have a Mah Jong Night. I can imagine the immediate push back but hear me out. Fist of all. I am against gambling. But if what you win and lose both go to the Church, it ain't gambling. And if you are up front about that, it's not a fixed game. It's called fundraising.

Instead of winning cash you can win points or St. James dollar basically play money that some kids will draw in Crayon (I got this idea from a segment in Curious George.)  On another day people can bring in stuff that they don't want anymore and you can use your points to buy this stuff. Haggle and bargain. Have the kids run the buying and selling. Cause it's a game. If you never won any points, you can buy points with real cash at the door.

Ahhh you may bring up Jesus turning over money tables in the table. Well guess what. That would be part of it too. At the end. The kids come and turn over the money tables. (the fake money) Like seriously kick it over. Then whatever is left over and nobody wants, just goes straight on a van to Catholic Charities, which has a store a ways down the street in the South End.  Why not just jump to the end? Because people (especially Chinese people) like Mah Jong and they like Haggling. So they do that, and then at the end there is a lesson that all of that is useless in the end. Because you can't bring any money with you when you die. BTW I don't believe God uses money or books. We made that stuff. Just like we made Churches.

And to beat an old drum, we should have a lion dance and Kung Fu team. I'm going to be buying a drum soon, so I might approach them again about that.

And finally to "help the poor" why not just do pot luck in conjunction with Mah Jong night. All the other Mah Jong places do it There is a big ass rice cooker with Salted Fish and other food so that when you need to take a break to eat, you don't even have to leave. And don't tell me you have to buy Mah Jong tables. Somebody has one that they should probably give up or at least lend.

And another idea. An informal Chinese school or play group or conversation group. Have some Chinese people and kids, and non Chinese speakers and kids, give them some crayons and paper and say "1 hour in Chinese" and then do it and then "1 hour in English" and then do that. Do that everyday and you have yourself a Chinese School. You know how much people will pay for Chinese school? Especially one that is less formal and you don't sit in rows with stupid text books? A lot. Plus you don't have to pay the teachers. The teachers will be people trying to learn English and vice versa.

Well I guess I should actually go to one of the meetings with these ideas otherwise I am a hypocrite.