16 Dec, 2009
Everyone Wishes for Silver and Gold
1881 gold coin found in Conn. donation kettle
TORRINGTON, Conn. — A Connecticut Salvation Army chapter got a pleasant surprise when its members were counting change dropped into one of the organization's holiday donation kettles. Members found a rare 1881 "half eagle" coin last week while counting donations made somewhere in Torrington on the day after Thanksgiving.
The half eagle was the country's first-ever gold coin and had a face value of $5. It was in circulation from 1795 to 1929.
Lt. Alan Galentine of the Salvation Army's Torrington Corps. said the chapter will be having the coin appraised, but it appears it's worth between $250 and $400. He said it's not clear at which location the coin was donated.
The coin was found when a change counting machine didn't recognize the half eagle and separated it from other coins.
Story Provided by: miamiherald.com.
Picture Provided by: affordableaudioconference.com.
Luke 15:8-10 (The Message)
"Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she'll call her friends and neighbors: 'Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!' Count on it—that's the kind of party God's angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God."
What does God's Story scripture teach us about how much God values us?
This little story, is the middle story of three, that Jesus tell to drive home the point that He loves sinners. One of the best things about this parable is the group of people listening to Jesus tell it. The first verse of Luke 15 tells us about the audience: "Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him (NASB)." The bottom rung of society, the ones cast a side by their community as having no value, those are the people listening to Jesus as he says God throws a party when one sinner starts following Him.
How can we connect today's God's story scripture to our lives?
Ask anyone what comes to mind when they hear Christmas, and often one of the first things listed will be gifts - whether given or received. Some of our best childhood memories come from waking up on Christmas morning to see what Santa brought us. We enjoyed the gifts we received, but there always seemed to be one that really stood out, one for which our eyes got bigger and our chins dropped.
For God, we are that gift! This tale likens God to a woman who has lost her coin, and we are likened to that coin. We see God going out of His way doing every thing He can to get His coin (us) back. He even lights a lamp - John calls Jesus, "The Light."
God places a high value on us, and then when He gets His hands around us, He throws a party. As we pass gifts around this season, let us celebrate how precious a gift we are to God.
How can we connect today's story, God's Story Scripture, and our story to others?
It must have been an exciting moment when the Salvation Army workers found the coin. They likely celebrated when they realized what they had come to possess. A simple coin changed a bunch of lives. It is another story that warms out hearts, and is fun to share.
At the same time your friends will enjoy this story, because we love stories that demonstrate unexpected love. It is a simple segue to ask your friends "How would you celebrate if you had opened the bucket and found the coin?"
From their answer, the discussion is open to talk about God celebrating over us, and even lighting a lamp to try and find us. Have fun treasure hunting in these stories, with your friends.
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