Hanging on the wall of my office is an offering bag and a picture
It’s one of those kinds of offering bags that have a cloth pouch and wood handles. It was given to me as a gift from the people of the first church I pastored. The church was called Faith Chapel and was located in Glendale, Arizona (there’s a picture of them above this offering bag).
On a regular basis the people at Faith Chapel would make various needs among the congregation known and ALWAYS the need would be met. There was a generous spirit I wanted to take with me to Escondido, and the offering bag was to serve as a reminder.
It also reminds me of a very generous person
Al Lira was the head usher at Faith Chapel. When we would take one of the aforementioned special offerings, it was Al who would stand at the exit holding an offering bag (the very one that is on my wall) until the last person made their way out. Then humbly, Al would finish his duties, which included straightening things up, turning lights off, and locking up. Then he would wait for me and make sure I got to my car. , Always with a big smile, he would graciously thank me and wish me a blessed afternoon.
Al had a bit of a stutter, but I could understand every word
One Sunday as we were walking out he asked,
“Ah p-p-pastor, have you e-e-ever been to La Perla Restaurant?”
“No Al,” I answered. He proceeded to invite me to what would become a regular get-together for us at one of the oldest Mexican restaurants in downtown Glendale. As we talked during those times, I learned that Al’s wife had died some time ago, how some of his children had gotten into trouble, and how his own health was failing. But my heart became most endeared to him by what he said next,
“Pastor Joel, I-I-I want t-t-to thank you for letting me s-s-erve at the church. It really means a l-l-lot to me.”
My throat was dry and a big lump was forming
I realized I was sitting with a true giant in the faith. Al Lira was a man who served with gladness, who wanted nothing in return, and who loved God and God’s people more sincerely then anyone I’ve ever met.
I know there’s more to faithfulness than the kind of stuff that Al Lira did, but I firmly believe it ought be done with the same spirit.
Faithful in small things with a generous and thankful heart
Faithful, generous, and thankful really sum up what not only Al Lira and the folks at Faith Chapel were all about, but I believe it sums up what God’s people ought to be like.
By the way, I started an Al Lira Fan Club.
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