The Lord's Acre by Pastor Carolyn
In the archives of Time Magazine, I found an article about The Lord’s Acre, a way of giving to the church. The article was published in 1938. A Methodist minister gave away seed corn to farmers who would plant and raise the corn and then give the corn or the profits from it to the church. The program began around 1930 in North Carolina.
Many rural United Methodist churches continue to celebrate The Lord’s Acre as a way of raising funds for the operation of the church. Most often a meal is served and an auction held. Today’s auctions include homemade items and store bought items donated for the sale. Often a bake sale is part of the event.
Christ United Methodist Church will hold its Lord’s Acre celebration on
Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008, at the city building in Stockdale, Texas. - A fried chicken lunch will be served from 11 am to 1 pm. The cost for lunch is $6.
- An auction of a wide variety of items begins at 12 noon. We usually have gift baskets, homemade peanut brittle, cakes, a quilt made by one of our members, jewelry, linens of all kinds made or decorated by members, and many other items. Last year’s auction included 5 gallons of farm equipment oil, a pickup bed trailer load of firewood with the trailer, and a yard sized windmill.
You never know what you’ll find at The Lord’s Acre auction. One of the most significant auction items is the Pastor’s Rooster. This dead chicken with a heart and soul (and body) of pure unadulterated plastic underneath that feathery exterior has been treated with utmost care and respect for the years it has been donated and redonated. (No one really wants it in their home for very long.) Last year it was treated to a redo and was dressed most appropriately in a cowboy costume, but without pistols since it is a church rooster. Its crowning glory is the detachable toe. Hopefully someone has not glued the toe back on because that is, of course, the selling point. It has graced the home of the highest bidder for a full year. This year, it will go to the most enthusiastic bidder. It is becoming an antique item and will surely draw large crowds during the bidding. You are encouraged to bid often and with great vigor. Husbands, please come up with an errand for your wife during the bidding for the rooster. Too many of you have been warned off in past years at the critical time.
Come and join us for good food and fun.