The following is a message from Mick Capon, our senior warden, to St. Joseph's on the First Sunday of Advent.
At a recent Vestry meeting, Rhonda mentioned that we needed to plan our 2010 Stewardship campaign. She asked members if they wanted to volunteer to make presentations at our Sunday morning Eucharists during Advent.
The following day, Gail and I were reading the Scriptures as part of our “Bible reading plan”. As often occurs we felt the Holy Spirit was guiding us. Our New Testament reading for the day just happened to be 2 Corinthians 8. Paul, writing to the church at Corinth, wanting them to know that the grace of God had been granted to the churches of Macedonia, and told them that their “abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part”.
Like most Episcopal churches we spend most of our money on salaries, property and outreach. Okay, we do get help from the Diocese on the first of these, but an increasing cost is our property upkeep, and our outreach ministries are expanding, more than ever in the current economic climate. St. Joseph’s buildings are old and need constant care. Even with our small band of volunteers we still occasionally need to call in the professionals. For example this summer we installed a new heating unit in the parish hall – insuring no more cold meetings during the winter. We are extremely fortunate that our housekeeping and administration is staffed entirely by volunteers. However, the more important reason for talking openly and extensively about money is theological, not practical. Jesus talked about money. In fact, next to the Kingdom of God, money was Jesus’ most frequent sermon topic.
The Biblical tithe (10% of one’s pre-tax earnings) is traditionally the starting point for giving. This is not a requirement for membership or to get a front seat at Sunday Eucharist (nearer to God perhaps?), but is meant to help us be who we, and God, want us to be: generous people who are known for our charity and desire to give.
To return to Paul: “For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has – not according to what one does not have. I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there be a fair balance.”
Amen.
