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The biblical Jacob wrestled with the angel until he got his blessing.

A scenario of similar undertaking occurred last summer. Except that it was First Lutheran Church, known for ministry emphasizing an end to hunger and homelessness in Guilford County, wrestling to get its money back from Wall Street.

Needing to safely set aside $500,000 in construction seed money raised by the 1,200-member congregation for a new worship and education building, the church’s governing council had earlier chosen to put the funds in auction rate security bonds.

It was thought that the money would be secure and the bonds could be sold periodically as the church needed the money.

Neither the advising broker nor church members who assumed responsibility for investing were aware that problems developing at the highest levels of Wall Street could render the bonds worthless or the funds inaccessible. The church learned it would get its money back in October 2008 under the terms of an agreement with Swiss bank UBS and the attorneys general of several states.

On Sunday, First Lutheran Church will break ground on the $2.3 million facility with a celebration at 10 a.m. at 3600 W. Friendly Ave.

Construction of 10 new classrooms and a state-of-the-art contemporary worship and gathering space will add 18,000 square feet of space for community outreach, faith formation and congregational worship.

The scheduled completion date is October 2011.

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Some of you have been immortalized in publisher Zondervan’s handwritten Bible, which is being auctioned on eBay through Sunday.

Only you may know for sure.

“America’s NIV” was written “one verse, one person” at a time during the 90-city Bible Across America tour in 2008 — with stops at Concord’s Lowe’s Motor Speedway during the Bank of America 500 and other venues that drew people from across the state.

More than 31,000 people participated in the Zondervan project nationally. Each of those participants is recognized, alphabetically, by name and by verse — though not by city.

The Bible commemorates the 30th anniversary of the New International Version translation and will be in stores on Dec. 1.

Proceeds from the sale of the original goes to Biblica (www.biblica.com), which translates the Christian holy book into languages and distributes it across the globe.

Bidding was at $7,000 earlier in the week.

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With a nod to the song — Christmas (or Hanukkah) just ain’t Christmas ... without honor cards.

This alternative gift-giving tradition provides a memorable gift in someone’s honor and an infusion of cash to local nonprofits, including the Salvation Army and Greensboro Urban Ministry, that use the money for charitable work.

Check with your favorite nonprofit (such as Heifer Project International, www.heifer.org) for those that might not be included in this list of some local options:

* FaithAction International House, www.faihouse.org

* Mary’s House, maryshousegso@aol.com; 520 Guilford Ave. (staffed 24 hours a day for pickups), 275-0820

* Greensboro Urban Ministry, www.greensborourbanministry.org

* Various honor cards carried by The Sacred Garden Bookstore, 215 W. Fisher Ave.

* The Salvation Army, 235-0353 or 1311 S. Eugene St., or Tyler White Art Gallery, 307 State St., 279-1124, where the original painting of the card’s “carolers” cover is exhibited.

* Habitat for Humanity of Greater Greensboro, www.habitatgreensboro.org. The Servant Center, 1312 Lexington Ave., 275-8585

Contact Nancy McLaughlin at 373-7049 or nancy.mclaughlin@news-record.com