A commentary with the title “Generous God vs. Cheap Church” by Cindy Gregorson can be found on the United Methodist denominational website. Among many good points is this one:
Have we considered the irony of welcoming everyone freely to God’s communion table and then asking them to pay for their doughnut and coffee at the refreshment table afterward?
The article is great and does a good job of explaining the underlying theological rationals for some of the changes in our practices at First UMC, the subtle ways that our life together reflects and affects our faith, and the need of the church to model the generosity and abundance of God’s kingdom.