Nebraska Synod ELCA
Event
Imagine a huge church rummage sale, and now imagine an event that is the exact opposite of that in almost every way. That’s a Giveaway Event. Instead of making people in the community pay the church for stuff (to benefit us), we give everything away for free (to serve them). Instead of taking days on end collecting, sorting, and pricing vast numbers of items, everybody just brings their stuff to give on the day of the event to set out on their own tables. Instead of facing a huge pile of leftover stuff when you’re “done” that you now have to get rid of yourself, everybody who brought stuff to give just takes their own leftovers back home with them when we’re done. (Spoiler alert: in actual practice, virtually nothing is left after a Giveaway Event!)
Too good to be true? Well, I’ve done three Giveaways at my church in the last 12 months and the congregation – as well as the community – is THRILLED with the results and looking forward to the next one! In our most recent Giveaway, we had over 200 guests come to “shop” and they cleared out the 42 overloaded tables we had prepared for them. It is a genuinely joyous and fun event that actually allows you to meet the neighbors around your Church as they keep on asking you “Is this really free?”
I (Pastor Tim) am so excited to share this new ministry for the first time, and let you know just how easy – and transformative – this can be. I will be providing you with a manual full of helpful tips, a planning timeline, sample text and ideas for advertising and whatever else I’ve gleaned from the first three times I’ve done this. Come on and join the fun, and together let’s show the world something delightfully surprising about the Church as a place that loves to give. The Giveaway Event would be a great neighborhood connector for God’s Work Our Hands and for the September Go and… theme which is Go and…Serve Your Neighbor.
Timothy “Tim” Thompson has been an ordained ELCA pastor for nearly 30 years, serving in the Saint Paul Area Synod in Minnesota. He is a second career pastor, having first earned his PhD in Biology and then going on to Luther Seminary in St. Paul to become a pastor. Currently, Pastor Tim serves as Associate Pastor at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church in West St. Paul, focusing in the areas of discipleship and outreach. With the congregation’s vision and mission of being intentional in reaching out and connecting with God, each other and the world, Pastor Tim has developed a congregational initiative of organizing and hosting community wide “give-aways” that are held at the church for the community. Anyone can come, and anyone can give stuff away. It has been a tremendous gift for both the congregation and the community. Pastor Tim is married to Kisten, a retired ELCA pastor, and together they have 4 adult children, and six grandchildren with a 7th one on the way. Tim enjoys music, camping, science and dreaming of new ministry outreach possibilities.
Date: Thursday, August 17, 2023 at 7:30pm-8:30pm CT / 6:30pm-7:30pm MT
Target Audience: The course is limited to 20 participants – Bring a friend to help you plan for your upcoming giveaway event. Pastor Tim will provide you with a helpful manual which you can share with others from your congregation as you plan your Giveaway Event.
Format: This is an online Zoom course. Link will be emailed the week of the course to those registered.
Materials: No reading or advance prep is required for this course. Come ready to take notes and engage.
Continuing Education Credit: This course constitutes 1 hour of continuing education credit for pastors, deacons, PMAs and other church professionals.
Costs: Course is $15.
Registration deadline: August 17, 2023. No refunds after August 17, 2023.