From My Heart and Mind

Sallie and I pictured with Kyle & Destiny on their wedding day,  Monday, August 11, 2014, outside the entrance to Cornerstone Community Church August 11, 2019 Our son, Kyle and his beautiful bride, Destiny, were married five years ago today.  It was a fantastic day of joy, laughter, hugs, and reunion with friends and meeting new family.  The day before was a bit...stressful.  All weddings have their own stress but this wedding had its own unique issue:  the weather.  The original plan was to have the wedding on the beach at Sand Harbor Beach in North Lake Tahoe near Incline Village (one of the MOST beautiful places in the world!).  The reception was also to be outside at a private place next to the Hyatt Regency-- everything planned out to the tee.  But the weather forecast was ominous-- thunderstorms, heavy rain all afternoon.  2014 was the wettest summer Lake Tahoe had experienced in years...and August 11 was not going to change the pattern. So, what to do?  Scramble! 

    From time to time, churches (and other organizations) have a guest speaker join them as part of their ministry or cause. In such cases, it is customary to present your guest with an "honorarium" (some kind of compensation for their time and effort).   I will speak just to the church side of things (but those in other organizations can learn from some of my experience also) as I have been on both the giving and receiving side of honorariums for the better part of 30 years. I have seen good practices and I have seen this done terribly. Most of the time it is done poorly.     If you invite someone to come and provide a service for your church (especially the Sunday morning sermon or a special all-church event), you are making a “big ask.” It is an important assignment and one that should add to the momentum of your church or organization. Here are some things to consider before presenting an honorarium:  1) You are asking someone to come in and provide a professiona