12/17/08

Stewardship Corner

Welcome back to this month’s Stewardship corner.

As we discussed in the previous months, the stewardship committee has a four step challenge for all members of our church.  We will list all the steps, and then we will highlight one each month.  This is the one you have been waiting for (the LAST one).  So here we go!

#1 – Count your blessings.

#2 – Pray.

#3 – Increase your time involved in church activities and/or projects.

#4 – Increase your financial giving.

Last month we took up the challenge to increase our time involved in some God inspired activity.  I have to admit this past month, between family illnesses and fall break, I did not achieve the increase I wanted.  But I promise to try and make up for it this month.

So let’s talk about financial giving.  I know that most of us do not want to be asked for more money, but before you start worrying about this month’s challenge, please read and pray about this month’s message.

The very first thing I want to remind everyone is, God loves a CHEERFUL giver.  If you cannot meet this month’s challenge with an attitude of gratitude, PLEASE do not force yourself.  I thought about 2 ways to challenge ourselves, so read each, and decide if one works for you.

Let’s imagine one day a week we give up that McDonald’s breakfast or that Starbucks Vente Caramel Machiatto.  Now imagine donating that extra $5 per week, and what it would do for our church.  Every month, you personally, will be purchasing an extra new hymnal, for example.

Another way to look at it, would be to challenge yourself to figure out what percentage you are currently giving, and increase it 1% more.  So if you currently give 5% of your income, move it up to 6%.  If you are already tithing (giving 10%), then you are ahead of most of the rest of us, and you can just keep up the good work (although God surely won’t mind if you go above and beyond).

It is often said that what we spend our time and money on is a good indication of our priorities.  How big a priority is God, and our church, to each of us?  I KNOW we can be an extremely generous church.  If we as a group can come up with an extra $5000 to donate to ?????? church building fund, then what are the possibilities? 

What thing are you passionate about at church?  Maybe you want the church to have a new piano, a big garage building outback, an electric sign out front, or maybe you want to start a preschool here at church.  You can apply your extra giving to whatever gives you the greatest joy.

Or, in accordance with SMP, we can come to the Lord with empty hands, and give Him the extra funds to do with as He sees fit.  (I think that would be even more amazing than anything I could think of!!)  Maybe we could sponsor a displaced family, taking care of their Thanksgiving and Christmas needs.  Maybe we could build a community resource center in our new addition.  The possibilities really are endless.

Well, I am out of time (and space), so spend some time, see if you are “up to the challenge”, pray for some guidance, and let’s see what we can make happen.  Once again, I think we will be pleasantly surprised at the results.  See ya next month.

Dare to Dream !

Last Month's "Stewardship Corner"

             Count Your Blessings September 2007