Guest Columnist

I think

it's an idea whose time has come! In small ways, it's

already happening in the church world.

Many years past, in my

first church in Carter County, Tennessee, I found a

little brass plaque screwed into a pew. As I bent down to

read it, I saw, "In Memory of Tom Smith - by the Joe

Smith Family." Once alerted, I found little brass

plates on nearly every pew.

And then I noticed the

stained glass windows. Every one said, "In Memory

of..." or "In Honor of..." and given by

someone or another.

In fact, all the hymnals,

the baptismal font, the pulpit, and every other piece of

furniture, including the light fixtures and the guest

book, were given as memorial gifts. The name of the

church was N. G. Taylor Memorial Methodist Church.

I assumed that old N. G.

was a local hero or a Methodist bishop. Nope. He was the

man that gave the couple of acres of land where the

church was built. Whether someone suggested, or he

demanded, that the church be named after him, I know not.

But old N. G. is long gone and the church remains, a

testimony to the power of well-heeled donors.

In Florida recently, I

watched a television broadcast of a local church service.

At the end of the program, the list of sponsors rolled.

Yep, the sponsors. "The preceding broadcast has been

brought to you by the following businesses..."

Not that I am unfamiliar

with sponsorship and memorial gifts. Most of the really

nice and expensive altarware, paraments, hymnals, and

prayer books in our church have been given as memorial

gifts. And, some years, ago, I produced a church

newsletter that was paid for by the advertisements of

local businesses.

Which all brings me to the

following suggestion: Corporate sponsorship of churches

and church activities.

Which of us has not seen

the Sunkist Orange Bowl or the Outback Bowl? I mean, the

major colleges have seen corporate sponsorship of the

venerated bowl games (for a princely sum, I might add)

so, why not? Corporations spent zillions of bucks

sponsoring the Olympic Games in Atlanta recently, so a

pattern is well-established. Universities, too, bow to

the dollar by naming entire buildings after wealthy

benefactors.

Churches would never have

to worry about financial considerations again! Pastor's

salaries could go up. Why, some churches might even be

able to give year-end rebates on tithes!

The largest churches, of

course, would garner the best sponsorships. We could have

the Delta Mount Paran Church of God or the Coca-Cola

First Baptist Church of Atlanta. Competition could raise

rates with the Diet Pepsi Presbyterian Church, the

American Airlines Methodist Church, or the Snapple

Episcopal Parish.

Smaller communities would

benefit as well. Churches that emphasize convenience

could become the 7-11 Community Chapel while the

seeker-sensitive congregation could "have it their

way" at Burger King Congregational Fellowship.

Congregations meeting in a funeral home could become the

Carmichael-Hemperley Charismatic Episcopal Church, and on

it could go. Businesses that couldn't afford to sponsor a

whole church by, say, building a new sanctuary, could

still sponsor a portion of the services:

"Would you stand up

and shake hands with those around you? As AT&T says,

"Just reach out and touch someone.'"

Or the pastor could

announce, "Mary's special solo today is brought to

you by Benson's Music Shop, which also provided today's

excellent sheet music."

"Baker and Baker,

CPA's Unlimited, remind you to invest in the kingdom

first, then invest with them. Our offertory hymn

is...."

"This Holy Communion

today is courtesy of Paul Masson, and like them, we never

serve the wine before it is time" (or Welch's Grape

Juice for those who prefer traditions only a few

generations old)

"Our closing prayer is

brought to you this morning by Sam's Steakhouse who would

like to remind you that a current church bulletin gets a

10 percent discount each and every Sunday after church

before 2:30 p.m. Let us pray."

Well, you get the idea. But

it doesn't have to stop there! The choir could be robed

in beautiful attire with the Nike "check mark"

on the front, the pastor could wear a tie with a huge STP

logo or, maybe, an Exxon symbol. The youth pastor, the

wild one of the bunch anyway, could have multiple

sponsors and be clothed like a NASCAR driver to help pay

his salary.

Little "golden

arches" could decorate the acolytes garb, while the

overheard projector, found most often in charismatic

churches, could sport a little, but prominent, "Dr.

Pepper" symbol in the lower right hand corner.

Even certain sermons could

be sponsored: "Divine Protection" - sponsored

God?" - the Pinkerton Detective Agency;

"Prosperity Is Yours!" - sponsored by the Amway

Corporation; "Cast Your Cares Upon Me" - by the

Consumer Credit Counseling Service; "Healing the

Pain in Your Life" - brought to you by the Bayer

Corporation; "Give No Thought for Tomorrow,"

sponsored by the Democratic Party; or "Render Unto

Caesar," sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service.

Just think of the money

that could be made! Think of all the good that could be

done! Corporation logos on church signs; church bulletins

with ads on the back; the possibilities are limitless!

Anyway, it's just a thought. Besides, what could it hurt?

[Father David Epps is rector at Carmichael-Hemperley...

no, wait! That should be Christ the King Church,

Peachtree City, GA. He may be reached online at [email protected] .

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