"Don't let worry kill you — let the church help."

August 19, 2008 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - "Don't let worry kill you -- let the church help."

This is just one of a list of humorous quotations allegedly taken from church bulletins. Take a break from the daily grind and laugh out loud.

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Other church bulletin quotations:

  • “Say ‘hell’ to someone who doesn’t like you.”
  • “Mr. Smith is also a close relative of his brother Wilbur in the church.”
  • “Thursday night – Potluck supper. Prayer and medication to follow.”
  • “Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community.”
  • “O come all ye faithful, sin in exultation.”
  • “After today’s service, coffee and donuts will be served in the basement. Please come down and say hell to the pastor.”
  • “For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery downstairs.”
  • “The rosebud on the altar this morning is to announce the birth of David Alan Belzer, the sin of Rev. and Mrs. Julius Belzer.”
  • “Children will be led in sinning and Bible study.”
  • “This afternoon there will be a meeting in the South and North ends of the church. Children will be baptized at both ends.”
  • “This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs. Lewis to come forward and lay an egg on the altar.”
  • “There will be a baked bean supper next Sunday at 6:00 p.m. Music to follow.”
  • “At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be ‘What is Hell?’ Come early and listen to our choir practice.”
  • “Life groups meet on Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM for food, fun, and fellowwhipping.”
  • “Marriage: An Institution To Be Endured.” — The subject of a sermon that should have read, “An Institution To Endure.”
  • Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa, will be speaking tonight at Calvary Methodist. Come hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.
  • The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
  • The sermon this morning: “Jesus Walks on the Water.” The sermon tonight: “Searching for Jesus.”
  • Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It’s a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don’t forget your husbands.
  • The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.
  • Miss Charlene Mason sang “I Will Not Pass This Way Again,” giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
  • The Rector will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will sing: “Break Forth Into Joy.”
  • Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
  • Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles, and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
  • The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment, and gracious hostility.
  • The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
  • The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
  • Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.

Here is a clean church anecdote taken from the same Web site that can be shared with colleagues:

A preacher was completing a temperance sermon: with great expression he said, "If I had all the beer in the world, I'd take it and throw it into the river."

With even greater emphasis, he said, "And if I had all the wine in the world, I'd take it and throw it into the river."

Finally, he said, "And if I had all the whiskey in the world, I'd take it and throw it into the river." He sat down.

The song leader then stood very cautiously and announced with a pleasant smile, "For our closing song, let us sing Hymn #365: 'Shall We Gather At the River.'"

Economy, Cost Perceptions Keep Small Biz From 401(k)

August 18, 2008 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A recent survey of small business owners by SurePayroll found that only one-third of small businesses currently offer 401(k) plans to their employees, and 45% of small business owners do not offer any type of retirement savings plan.

According to SurePayroll’s research, 48% of small business owners surveyed indicated that the current state of the economy has had a negative impact on their ability to offer 401(k) benefits. Additionally, of those who do not currently offer employees a 401(k) plan, four out of 10 small business owners attribute it to the perceived cost of starting and administering the program.

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Why Knots?

According to SurePayroll, the other main factors working against small business 401(k) savings programs are:

  • Fewer Options – Historically, large companies have had many retirement plans from which to choose. However, vendors offering small business retirement plans tend to offer more limited plans, contributing to the perception that small business plans are generally meant for larger companies, according to the report.
  • Salaries are Down . According to the SurePayroll Small Business Scorecard for July 2008, employee salaries are down 0.3% this month – and with rising costs for items like gas and groceries, coupled with lower salaries, employees are struggling to save, even if their companies offer a savings plan. According to SurePayroll, some small businesses shy away from providing a 401(k) simply because there is no employee interest.
  • Lack of Knowledge Regarding 401(k) Plans . The survey indicates that 66% of respondents felt that offering 401(k) benefits would not attract or retain new employees.
  • Low Returns on Invested Funds . According to SurePayroll, 7% of respondents indicated that 401(k) plans are not attractive because they are currently not yielding worthwhile returns.

Given that small businesses employ an estimated 59 million members of the U.S. workforce, SurePayroll’s analysis concludes that approximately 39 million small business employees do not have access to a 401(k) savings plan and that over 26 million small business employees do not have access to any form of company-sponsored retirement savings plan.

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