Dateline Dayton — All the dumb ideas don’t originate in Washington.

There is a church, located between Dayton and Cincinnati, that wants to increase attendance for Easter Sunday services. They are giving away $1,000.

Five hundred dollars will be given to a member and $500 will go to a guest.

So what is your reason for going to church on Easter?

Well, I could win $500.

I believe the Bible says, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there.”

The church claims they usually have about seven hundred persons at service. They want a thousand, thus the $1,000.

If our Lord is there, no matter what the count, what difference does it make if it’s two or a thousand? Maybe there is some other motive for this incentive, which I don’t understand.

Personally, I don’t want to go to a church where many of the attendees are there to win money.

Didn’t Jesus chase the moneychangers out of the synagogue? And now the moneychanger is the church?

We have churches that don’t hold services on Christmas. Now a church will provide you a chance to win money if you attend on Easter. What is happening to religion?

Awhile back, here in Dayton we had a slogan “Buy What Dayton Builds.”

It was basically encouraging us to buy General Motors cars. Dayton was a G.M. town. Today, G.M. is gone. The slogan must have gone with them. It might have been part of the bankruptcy or maybe the federal government now owns the slogan and it’s not legal for our local government to follow.

Our city and county government leaders must not be old enough to remember the slogan.

Or they have chosen not to follow the practice any longer because we send our County water payment to Cincinnati.

Our city of Dayton tax return, payment due and estimate payments are all sent to, you guessed it, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Dayton was listed by Forbes magazine as one of their “dying cities.” Our government leaders were upset, to say the least. If we don’t start looking out for Dayton and use Dayton businesses, we might as well consider closing the door.

Where are your city dollars going?

Mr. Hennessey may be contacted at pmhenn@sbcglobal.net