The Rewards from Joyful Giving

The theme of the Queen of Peace Radio fall 2012 share-a-thon that just ended yesterday was joyful giving based upon the idea that we should give with a joyful heart.  We did not want to use guilt techniques to get people to give, to talk about such ideas as “your fair share,” or to induce people to give because there was a tax deduction.  Not at all.  We wanted to follow up on the ideas from my last blog about giving because the listeners believe in this ministry.

During the slow period of yesterday during a storm front moving over the station studios, the volunteers, me included, had an opportunity to discuss our faith, works, theology, history, current events regarding the encroachment of the federal government on our First Amendment Rights and its implications, the trends of recent years regarding attendance at church services and trends of family life, marriage, divorce, living together, same sex union and a myriad of other topics.  Afterwards, Tom and I lamented that we had not broadcast this impromptu discussion on air since it was so broad-ranging, thoughtful, intelligent, and scriptural.

 It impressed us about the very high quality of talent, education and training of the volunteers who come to answer the telephones to take your calls and pledges.

 They are authors, business executives, entrepreneurs, some highly educated and intelligent as well as all of us from all walks of lives including mothers, students, retirees, immigrants, cradle Catholics, revert Catholics, and non-Catholics - a real richness of the range of the composition of our Church and community.  What a richness! 

All the volunteers, not only were they financial donors to Queen of Peace Radio but, also, they were giving of their valuable time and talent.  Interestingly, they were not there to get a take-away from their help but they were there because they  believe in this ministry and knew of the value and impact that it has on them as well as other listeners.  In the process of giving, we all had an incredible unintended reward from God - we were all enriched by each other and the experience of our involvement of being in the process of soliciting money for this ministry. We heard from our listeners who told us wonderful stories about how this Catholic radio station brought to them messages to help their faith from all ranges of belief, Catholic and non-Catholic alike.

So, everyone came away with rewards of immeasurable value - not in money - but of a great and deep spiritual richness. 

For this, I thank God and we, the Board of Directors of Queen of Peace Radio, thank everyone who participated in this share-a-thon and, in particular, we, again, give special thanks to Tom Moran, our General Manager, who always overcomes the obstacles to produce another successful share-a-thon as he did again this week.

Let me know what you think.

Let the light of our Lord shine upon you!

REM (Ray Makowski) Co-Founder, Director and Secretary-Treasurer