Telling people to be thankful is a bit like requesting a kiss. If you have to ask for it, it usually isn’t worth getting. Gratitude—and affection—lose something unless they’re freely given. But thanks to a bit of creativity and whimsy, Pastor Dean Ryder of First Baptist Church in Newfane, New York, was able to encourage people to be thankful—freely, voluntarily, and spontaneously. The method was a reverse offering. One Sunday the offering plates were loaded with envelopes,