"The Noisy Offering"

Phone cards purchased with funds from "The Noisy Offering" collected by the children of Holy Communion Lutheran Church in Berlin, New Jersey.

Hi, I'm sending two boxes tomorrow. In between the items the middle of both of the boxes are phone cards for the wounded.

We have what is called "The Noisy Offering" after the children's sermon on the first Sunday of the month. After the children's sermon they are given aluminum paint pails to wander throughout the pews collecting people's saved change - therefore the name "Noisy".

It has been a wonderful way for them to participate in stewardship and discipleship.

I suggested the idea for the charity to receive the offering in February, so I was asked to give the sermon. To be honest, it is one sermon I won't forget.

Sandy Shourds
Quilting Hearts
Holy Communion Lutheran Church
Berlin, N.J.

Sandy Shourds and the women of Holy Communion Lutheran Church have been sewing for our wounded soldiers in Germany for well over a year now. When I received the email above I never expected to see what I did when opening their boxes. It was a true miracle to have received this generous donation at a time when patient census is increasing and the need is so great.

On behalf of the patients at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Soldiers' Angels would like to thank Sandy for her leadership, Dawn Jennings who as head of the Caring Team took the offering and purchased the phone cards, the children for their compassion, and each and every donor for their generosity.

I wish I could have heard your sermon, Sandy, but the resulting display of patriotism and compassion is something we won't forget.