Dear Friends in
Christ,
Everywhere we go, from the beauty shop to major
corporate and nonprofit meetings, all the talk is about
'the economy' and the impact of the events of recent
weeks on every aspect of life. For us church
folks, that includes wondering about the impact on
funding the mission and ministry of every setting of the
church. I hear considerable anxiety about 2009
church (and Conference and national UCC) budgets. Individuals and churches are all trying to figure out
how the volatile markets will impact the financial
future and worry is running high. So some who read the subject line and what follows
may think me naive or irrational. But I beg
you to read on because I believe with deep passion that
this is a crucial time of opportunity for us of the
church to witness to the power of the gospel of Jesus
Christ. Here's the heart of what I believe we of the church
must do as individuals and congregations, in exactly
such a time as this: GIVE MORE, not less,
in hard times!
-
As
individuals to our local churches
-
As
congregations to the wider church
-
As
individuals, congregations to special offerings, like
upcoming Neighbors in Need and to other church related
organizations that serve those in most need, like
Church World Service.
Let me offer five reasons why I say that
without hesitation to myself and to every person and
every church that claims to follow Jesus, whether rich,
'middle class' or working poor. GIVE:
>For the pure joy of
giving. One of my
favorite and most inspirational Bible passages is
II Corinthians 8:1-6. It tells of the churches of
Macedonia who "during a severe ordeal of affliction,
their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have
overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their
part..." I suspect that not many reading
this have ever lived in 'extreme poverty' but I have
seen with my eyes and been empowered in my own being by
the JOY of impoverished Christians in Angola who give
generously from their very modest means (I'm talking
about literally giving away one of two shirts or $2 of
$4 earned in a week...) to their church and to their
neighbors. I covet that kind of joy for all of
us.
>As a witness to this market driven
world that we trust in God's abundance.
What will it say to the world if we who follow Jesus
(who said "Do not worry about your life..."Mt. 5:25)
respond to this time of challenge with fear and
self-anxiety? This is a time for us to SHINE in
confidence of God's provision. What if giving to
our churches and from our churches to the work of the
wider church does not go down but UP in these months
ahead? What a wonderful testimony to God's
power! We'll issue a press release! I
am told that history supports the claim that giving to
the church has historically stayed strong in hard times
but the voices of anxiety and our habits of affluence
are strong as well. Which strength will prevail in
our time?
>Because the presence of the church is
particularly needed in times like these.
Where do people turn when they feel anxious and
afraid? Think about Sept. 11, 2001. Where
did people flock to hear a word of hope and strength? To
churches and other houses of worship in towns and cities
across the country. And they could do that because
those before us have given in good times and hard times
to keep the church as a real and vital presence, with
the lights on and doors open on those street corners, to
offer the good news of God's limitless love in the best
and worst of times. So in our time, it is for us
to assure that the doors will be open and a ministry of
welcome, hope and confidence will be offered from the
church to a nation too caught up in fear.
>Because the ministries of the whole church are
required more than ever to speak out and care for those
in greatest need. Hard times may
get more attention when they 'hit' banks and stock
markets but the hardest hit are always the world's
poorest. (see a letter of
concern from the National Council of
Churches). As local food bank shelves empty,
where do the hungry turn? To the church of the one
who said, 'I was hungry and you fed me..." In the
United States, it is those with the least who are most
vulnerable to increasing food and transportation
costs. Globally, the current crisis is simply
intensifying already desperate situations of need that
we as the church are constantly striving to address
through our own UCC Global Ministries and Church World
Service. We must be there for them, friends, now more
than ever, not less.
>Because most of us in the United Church of
Christ and in the United States have ENOUGH and
then some. What is enough? It is a
question worthy of conversation at our family dinner
tables and in our church committee and council
meetings. Think of other families
around the world for whom a bowl of rice a day is
'enough'... What is enough for us? Is it time for
an 'old' Christian virtue like frugality to emerge anew
and an old phrase saying to be brushed off afresh:
"Let's live more simply so that others may simply
live..."?
As I close, I hope you know that all I have written
is as much 'preaching to myself' as to anyone
else. May all of us be in prayer about our giving
as individuals to the whole work of the church and may
our congregations model generosity in growing giving to
the work of the wider church. I say that
boldly not because it's about my 'job' but because I
believe that we are stronger for God's mission together,
and especially in 'hard times'.
May God bless each one of you and each of our
congregations in standing strong and giving generously
in these times.
With You in Christ's Service,
Jane
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