IDEAS THAT WORK
Donald Bubna with Sue Multanen
October 1, 1980
The Encouragement Card A hush has fallen over the Sunday morning sanctuary. I've preached and prayed; now, my own eyes still closed and my head bowed, I speak to the church family which faces me. "It's time to pray in silence for someone you love or know to be in need. After you have prayed, take an encouragement card from the pew rack in front of you, and write that person a note to show you care." I sit down on a bench behind the pulpit; we are all praying. In a moment, a gentle rustling begins throughout the room as cards and pencils are taken from the rack, and we start to write our messages of love. The Holy Spirit, the Comforter and Encourager, is moving in hearts. Now, everyone becomes a minister by sharing fruits of ministry far more widespread than anything I or a few other "official" pastors could accomplish. In a short while, the order of service changes; the cards are dropped into collection plates. "Stimulate one another to love and good deeds," exhorts Hebrews 10:24-25, "not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day draw near." For some time I sought to find ways to help people do this. The idea of encouragement cards came to me after observing the use of prayer cards in another church. Our cards are regulation postcard size, come in a variety of colors, and have our church picture and the logo "Encouraging one another" printed across the top. When writing to someone, we write the name on one side and our message on the other. We ask that the message be encouraging, and that people sign the cards; we will not mail unsigned cards. On Tuesday our office staff members sort and address the cards. Multiple messages to the same individual ...
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