Showing posts with label Giving. Show all posts

As part of our Advent Conspiracy this season, we are collecting a special offering to support clean water in the world.  While it is a missional emphasis of the United Methodist Church in Alaska to support clean water for Haiti, in particular, it doesn't appear there are any UM groups I could find that have that as their primary focus.  So, in dialogue with some folks, our congregation has decided to support the work of CHARITY: WATER.

There are a few things that I have found particularly attractive about CHARITY:WATER.

• I believe that clean water is one of the world's most pressing needs.
• I love the personal story and biblical perspective of their founder.
• Their videos are very professional and usable in church.
• They've mastered the art of getting people involved at many levels.
• They seem to be quite transparent in their financials.

So, throughout Advent, our congregation will be encouraged to give towards this goal of clean water in the world.  And, for a change, we'll be doing through the CHARITY:WATER website.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO DONATE, YOU MAY DO SO HERE!!!

Sunday as we looked at our financial difficulties at Girdwood Chapel...as we discussed discipleship and giving and stewardship and building needs and work teams and benefits and pastoral compensation and...  Well, we covered a lot.

As we looked at all of this I wanted us to celebrate the wonderful, loving, world-changing, disciple-making things that we're involved in in this community and in the world.  And I wanted to remind them that, while our financial realities are important and can affect ministry, I didn't want it to define us.  I want persons to hear about the love of Christ first and foremost...and not our need for funds.  I don't like the pastor I become when the "trees" of our financial commitments obscure the "forest" of God's grace and love.

I don't want to be the church in the Naked Pastor cartoon above.

This is found over at "The Good Atheist" and is interesting how it looks at church giving.   It makes it sound like we're rolling in dough and, I think, equates all churches with the megachurches (which, to be honest) get all the press.

Their article states:

I can’t imagine a bigger waste of money than giving it to churches. Seriously. It would actually be more productive if you threw it away in the garbage, since at least in this instance some poor homeless guy might actually find some of it.

Here's the video:



What do you think?

(HT/ Christian Nightmares)

Image via WikipediaLast week I sent the following e-mail out to the congregation.   I sent it with some fear and trembling, recognizing that I was asking a lot when we're having some economic difficulties (to say the least).  But I sent it out believing that it was a faithful response a need from the community -- that I really can't say too much about.

Here it is:

Friends,

We have a need in our community that has come to light just recently.  This is a financial need in the amount of $1,300.  In order to protect the privacy of those involved I cannot reveal much more than this.  I know that my vagueness might make it difficult to get behind this request.  I understand this.  However, I hope that my 11 years here has built up some trust and you understand that I wouldn't ask the people of our church to get behind a local mission need if I didn't believe that it was the right thing for us to do as we try to faithfully witness to Christ in this place.  This is so particularly in light of the financial realities we have as we live into our new facility,

I have been in dialogue with __________ and _________ (two of our financial leaders) along with some of my clergy colleagues in Anchorage.  We have talked about how to best meet this pressing need while allowing the greatest chance of resolution of the current problem by maintaining the anonymity of those involved.  We also talked about how best to phrase this very email, recognizing that it was a difficult thing to do.  Please know that, beyond the financial component, other steps are being taken to help.

This is a leap of faith...faith in my judgment and faith that God can use our collective gifts to help bring healing to a troubling situation.  The identities of those being helped may or may not be revealed at some point in the future.  It will be up to them.  This is hard.  But, perhaps, as we try to pay off debt, as we make improvements to the building as required, as we look at heating bills and lighting bills, etc....perhaps this is a way for us to really BE the church.

If you can help in any amount, your gift will be well-used.  It will be used to help a very local mission situation.

Thank you.

We'll take up a special offering this week.  Please pray about how you can help meet this very real need.

Remember our mission:  "Love God.  Love others.  Change the world."

Peace,

Jim

Well, on Sunday, I made the appeal again recognizing that it was asking a lot of the congregation.  I know persons are more inclined to give when they "know" where the money is going.  I know it helps to see the faces and hear the stories to make it personal.  But it couldn't happen this time around.

And the congregation responded very well.  I asked for $1,300.  $2,150 was given.  And the persons to whom the money will go are relieved...for now.  There are other issues at hand and we're trying to hook them up with the resources they need.  And, hopefully, we can start to meet some of the immediate needs in the day-to-day running of the church (e.g. light bill, mortgage, construction bills still needing to be paid).

But this was a time "for the church to be the church" giving because it is good to give.

It was a good thing.

It was a God thing.

photo © 2007 Fabio Venni | more info (via: Wylio)
Text:  Philippians 4:10-14 & Deuteronomy 8:11-18
Title:  “Simple Stewardship:  Simply Give”

Because we had such a great presentation from the Gideons, I’m going to keep this a little shorter than usual today…and probably quite a bit shorter than many “concluding sermons” for a stewardship drive.  This would probably be the sermon where the pastor pulls out all the stops, pulls on every heartstrings, tells you to think about the children, and implies that an angel cries when you give anything less than 10% of your income to the church.

As fun as that may sound, this is “Simple Stewardship.”

We’ve been saying that stewardship could be simplified to some base concepts.

FIRST -- SIMPLY BELIEVE – Believe that we have a God who’s big enough to provide for you…and when you give, God will take care of you.  God, the creator of the heavens and the earth will be with you if you nudge up your giving.  Believing that you couldn’t possibly give more…for almost everybody…is a belief that God couldn’t possibly provide enough.  Don’t sell him short. 

SECOND -- SIMPLY SERVE – Our giving is an act of service.  Because you give, we can have a food pantry, we can have someone to counsel those who have lost loved ones, we can have Vacation Bible School, and we can, “through our apportionments (our giving to the Alaska United Methodist Conference) be in mission and ministry around the world.  When we give, we think beyond ourselves to others.

And, today, it’s SIMPLY GIVE.

But why?