The Give Back Project
July 13, 2008
Cinema Church is all about changing the way people view church. Many people feel that churches are all about getting money from you. So, Cinema Church gave away our entire offering.
If you were with us you received an envelope with money in it. That’s right our church gave every person money. Told you we were changing your view of church. We would love to hear how you used the money Cinema Church gave you to be a blessing to others.
Leave a comment with how you blessed someone.
Cinema Church gives back 
HEY
so i gave away my money today! I had five dollars to give away and at first i was a little upset wishing i had gotten more money! I wanted to do something huge with it but I guess I was only meant to have five haha.
So I was working today and I went to get coffee on my break and I told myself going in that I was going to buy someone’s coffee with it, but there was no one in there the whole time! I was a little dissappointed and i left but as i was walking away i heard a man behind me saying “exuse me miss”. I turned around to talk to him and he asked me if I had enough money for him to get a large coffee. I thought “How perfect!!” so I took out the envelope with the money, told him my church had given me this to give away to someone and that he was the person it needed to go to. His face lit up and he got super excited and said thanks and stuff. It was good. He was a cute old guy.
I friggin loved doing this seriously!
So today was the day I gave my money to someone in case you’re wondering I had 25$, I was driving and my gram told me to pull into the shell gas station on washington street it was packed of course, there was this little old lady that pulled in at the same time I did, I let her go infront of me to get the pump 1 so she could get out of there and get home because it was super hot and gross, as she got out of the car I noticed that she had a walker and a really heavy purse, I helped her up the steps and then eventually inside. She pulled out a 5 out of her enormous purse and said in her little rhaspy voice “5 on pump one please” I interupted the guy before he entered it in on the cash register and I said make that 25 and I put a 20 on the counter told them both about cinema church and our intentions and my story and walk with Christ. The lady looked as if she was going to cry.. Which made me almost cry to see how God can work but enough sappy stuff, with the remaining 5$ I bought her a water and helped her back to her little beat up car and made sure she made it out of the packed gas station safely. The end
Ok so today was the day I gave the money away. So I was at the grocery store after work and was there to get a few things and it came to me that this was my opportunity to make someone’s day. So when it was time to check out I chose a longer line to go to instead of the shorter one, why I don’t know I just felt like I was suppose to be in this line……there was a man in front of me older, a white bead and a baseball cap. I waited till the cashier gave the total and I approached him and said “Hi, my church is doing something called GIVES BACK and I want to “give back” to you today and give you $25.00 towards your grocery bill”. Now at this point he looked at me like I was half crazy and half like I made his day. Then he said to be “I’m sorry I can’t do that” and I said “No please I WANT you to have it” So he took it. He gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek, it caught me a little off guard but it felt good to make someone else feel good. Then he started telling me about his own church and about how great it is to help the community and how he went down and helped the victims of Katrina, at this point I was getting teary eyed and he said to me “Why did you pick me?” and I said “I don’t know, I just felt like God lead me to you” It made a huge smile on his face and he said “God bless you” and I left. I just wanna say that this project made me feel great!
I gave my money away on Sunday. I gave it to my good friend Brett, who had his grandfather pass away two days before hand and had his wake and funeral. I attended the wake because he didn’t have many friends from CT and wanted someone there to support him. I went and held him through the whole thing and I told him how I empathized with him going through what happened with Ally. He then told me that the bills for the hospital and funeral were hurting that family, especially his father. I could feel God pressing on my heart to not only comfort his soul, but to give the money to him. I told him about my church and the money, and said how it was just thirty dollars, but it was something. He started crying and so did I. I told him it was important that he just took it and he did. His father later found out and just hugged me. “You are such a sweetheart.” It made my heart melt that just a small amount of money and being there for a dear friend can impact someone so much.
❤
Last night I finally gave my money away! At around 9:15 I was driving around with Brendan, Ryan, Dan, and Mike Bard and I thought about maybe going home early because I had to work early in the morning. We were near my house so Brendan pointed out that I will probably be tired in the morning, so I decided to go home. When we got near my house, I was like NO nevermind I will just stay out because we were going to Friday’s. Right before we went to pay the bill, it just dawned on me that I had my money on me and this was the best place. I saw 4 people get seated and I thought they would be perfect! I was glad I decided to stay out a little later so I can give my money away! So I walked over, and it looked like a double date. So I dropped my envelope on the table and said I was from Cinema Church and explained to them about the Give Back Project and that I chose them. They were really surprised and happy. Then I said “Well here is $35 to put towards your bill. Have a great night!” That really surprised them and made them so happy and I walked away feeling so awesome. I could hardly sleep when I got home because I was just so amazed by God and I felt really blessed to be a part of this!
I was finally able to give my money away on Thursday night. I had been praying for awhile for God to lead me in the right direction for giving the money to someone. Michael, and me, and the kids went out Thursday night to watch some motocross and then Aidan had wanted to go out for dinner (he actually brought $20 to take mommy out…btw thanks dad), anyway, we decided on the most child friendly restaurant out there, that’s right “Friendly’s”. We went in and had our dinner and then Mike took Cameron out to the car and Aidan and I paid the bill. We gave the waitress our tip as a family, and then I proceeded to pull out my envelope of money. I explained to her that we were in the midst of planting a church, and that we want to make a difference in our local community. I went into how our passion is to change peoples view of church. She was really receptive to the whole thing and then I told her this was a gift from our church to her, and I handed her the $50. Her eyes lit up, it was so awesome, she started to stutter and then finally got out a “thank you”. Then she just kept repeating how thankful she was. It was so uplifting and amazing, I loved doing this! As I walked to the car, I remembered my days as a waitress. Then I remembered what a difference it made to me, when people were kind enough to leave a 20% tip. Tonight, we actually left our waitress a 20% tip, and then the $50 (which was more than double our entire bill), anyone reading this that was ever a waitress can totally see how awesome this would be! I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that on Thursday night, Cinema Church, changed this waitress’s life! It was so very amazing, and I’m excited to see what else God has in store for all of us this next year! Okay, so who’s next???
After what seemed like an eternity of carrying around the worn down creased envelope with folded edges an opportunity for it to be used came. Mucho pray went into just asking for it to be used wisely and the patience to let God use it and not me. 3 weeks later here we are and im grateful it came to who it went to. The opportunity came up about 7 am this morning when a co worker asked me about over drafting with his bank account. He had been for about a week and asked if there was anything that he could do with the bank to fix it. For some reason God has blessed me with much experience in the subject having done it more times than id like to admit. He was explaining to me that the bank could do nothing about and that he was stressed about not getting enough hours to cover it. I did the typical thing and tried to sympathize with him because ive been in that situation before and its not fun. We work in the back mostly so we have time to talk and what not when it gets slow or he comes and helps me when i get swamped. So throughout the day we would talk and so on and after talking to the boss about getting more hours and him just franticly trying to find a way to make it work for him. I find out that he cant even pay rent and he was explaining that this wouldnt fly with his landlord. So the guy was freaking out completely. TOTALLY UTTERLY! Well then it hits me! THIS IS IT! I go around and around on how im going to jsut present it to him. I didnt want everything to think i was just giving him money so i waited until i get out and i walk in back to try and find him before i left. He was in back mopping so i pull out the old creased envelope with bent corners and hand it to him and try my best to explain where its coming from and about how he doesnt owe me a thing because its not even my money. We actually spent a while in back talking when he should have been working. He was so grateful! Hes really one of th enicest guys i know though. Funny thing. After awhile of talking and it wasnt awekward anymore he goes “SO I guess i have to come to your church now?” In a confused voice. You would have had to been there to get the context. My story telling isnt so good.
PS:
Im glad it went to who it did so he can pay his rent for at least one more month. Im also Glad i got to see what change God can do in peoples lives. Amazing experience all in all.
Well I told myself that today was going to be the day I give my money away. I have been planning exactly how I was going to go about this for a while now. A couple of different ideas ran through my head, but I finally settled on one after seeing this.
I went through the drive-thru at McDonalds today, and ordered for myself and my friend who was in the car with me. When it came time to pay, I handed him my credit card and paid for our order, but then pulled out the money. I’d attached a Post-it, which read, “A church in the area gave me this money to give back to the community. I chose you. Have a good day.” I asked the cashier if he would please give it to the next car to come through. (At the time, there was no car behind me, which had been the original plan, but that’s okay.) He took the money, although pretty confused. He undoubtedly read the note as well, so even if it wasn’t actually for him, he knew the purpose of what I was doing. That’s pretty much a to-for-one deal right there!
It felt so good to give the money away, especially because there was nothing attached to it but a Post-it… No face, no name, not even a specific church.
we sat and finished our “dinner” of mcdonalds after running around doing errands for kids church. an older man, mid 70’s, in a hawaiian shirt wore a neon yellow reflector. he was a cart pusher for stop and shop. i watched him, he systematically did his job and seemed not to begrudge it. we went in to get some more supplies for kids church and as we were checking out he was there. i touched his shoulder softly and he turned. i asked him if he had had a good day. he replied in broken english “oh that’s good”. i realized he thought i was expressing to him that i had had a good day. i smiled at the slight language barrier and emphasized the question again. “no have YOU had a good day?” he shrugged in response, in reply i showed him my twenty dollar bill. he asked “you sure!?” and i said yes. his eyes lit up and he crossed himself. i smiled and in response showed him the cross i wear around my neck. he laughs and shows me his. he charismatically grabs my hand and we walk holding hands out of stop and shop. i give a squeeze and let go exclaiming “have a nice night!” he replied “you too”, and i walked away with a smile refusing to leave my face.