naa, piss off - go ask a do-gooder

I told a kid asking me to sponsor him for a footy trip yesterday. I didn't really. I sponsored him in x units of 20t which seemed to me a good way of spreading the circle of people whom he could ask for support. But what made me think of the above riposte was the commonly held perception that Churches are the fount of all money. They only have as much money as members contribute for its upkeep. Giving for charitable works is on top of giving for maintenace works. So I thought the next time someone came to the priest's door, what if he were to say, "Naa, piss off, we only give money for the Lord's work and feeding a starving beggar doesn't count. We've got a building to maintain!" The priest is unfortunately and wrongly seen as the face of the church. He is just the leader of worship or at least the organisaer of worship. The congregation is the face of the Church but because it does not live on the premises it becomes removed from the recognition of the daily wants of the people of God who may not always be churchgoers. They are no less God's people for that.