First, thank you for so many prayers on my behalf since June. I am so thankful to God to be on the slow mend and heading in a good direction. Your caring welcome has been such a gift to me. Thank you. May everyone experience the love of God in a church like you have given to me!
 
Our financial stewardship emphasis is culminating this coming week in worship. It is a bit different this year:
 

• Our emphasis is in January rather than October. You’re getting those end of year financial and tax documents now, right? All the numbers are right there, so it is a great time to count our blessings, and dream, and plan how to thank God with our finances.
• Our theme is “Giving to God, not a Budget.” Our church council has already crafted a proposed operating budget to be voted on at the annual meeting. This stewardship emphasis really is about personal discipleship, not determining the church budget. Your church is trusting God to provide. That’s a great example to follow. God is good. All the time.
• Estimate of Giving Cards (such a better name than pledge cards!) are about setting a faith goal to respond to God’s blessings. It’s not a bill, and won’t be treated like it is by your church. You are invited be intentional, purposeful and prayerful. Use your heart, your head and calculator.
• Our completed “estimates of giving,” and our offerings, will be individually brought forward in worship this week. Good week to be an usher! No collection! Of course, we’ll have extra cards if you need it and/or will receive yours in the next weeks as well. We’ll pray over our estimates and ask God to bless us in the coming year.
• Each of our pastors was invited to preach on the subject of why we give to God. Pastor Tim and Pastor John “brought it” the past two weeks. My turn this week.

 
Years ago, just prior to a worship starting, a first time guest wanted to ask the pastor (me!) this question before entering the sanctuary: “Just tell me how much God wants from me? What percentage, 10%, more, less? What’s the rule in this church?” I’m guessing that he’d had a bad church experience somewhere in the past. Happens too often, especially when our Lord praised the widow’s meager mite over the largest gifts. It’s never about the amount.
 
I thanked him for his honesty and asked if I could be equally honest with him since we were about to start. He smiled saying, “I hope so.” And then I said, “We’re trying live by grace in this church, not law. Nobody tells you how to be thankful to God here, everyone’s unique and God has blessed us all differently, but God loves to receive our thanks.”
 
I should’ve stopped there, but, no, I kept going: “I believe God wants everything you’ve got, all of it, 100%. God loves all of you, including the part in all of us that worries about money so much. God wants us to be free from guilt, enjoy what we’ve been given and trusts us with everything God’s given us. So, all of it.” 
 
Ufda. Picture my big gulp. I was so happy he stayed…that day and years thereafter!
 
I will be praying for you this week as you make your “estimates of giving.” God’s grace abounds and our giving is a response to that truth.

Pastor Jim