The widow in this week’s gospel reading may have had trouble getting her two little lepta coins into the latest in giving technology to emerge from the US. The new service from MinistryGives allows people to give on-line, via a mobile or with this kiosk contraption. But no cash. And definitely no lepta.
The Kiosk
Mark 12:38-44
The lepta was the smallest denomination of local coinage , of which you needed two to make up the quadran (the smallest Roman coin). While people are flashing platinum cards around at the temple, she gives her whole “livelihood”. The widow wouldn’t be able to use the Kiosk, she has no credit rating and so no plastic in her purse.
I can’t imaging the kiosk catching on round here. What do people do who have no plastic? Or money for that matter? A local Anglican priest often told the story of how he would invite his congregation to take as well as give from the collection plate if they had need to. Needless to say not everybody liked his idea even though his parish was in the top 1% most deprived in Britain.
Putting the latest crazy American idea aside, what else is out of bounds in our churches for those who have something seemingly unspectacular to give?
