As we prepare to return our Statements of Intent for our generosity for next year, we look ahead to some of the exciting things that lie ahead:
Rev. Susan Kirlin-Hackett joined our staff on November 1, 2020 as a part-time Pastor of Care and Welcome.
Her work in the congregation will be both in conjunction with the Care Ministry Team and through her own outreach and connection with those who have difficulty participating in the regular activities of church life
A Call Committee is being formed to find a new Associate Pastor of Faith Formation.
This person will lead our work with children and youth while Pastor Chuck will be working on adult faith formation. It is the hope of the council that this person is in place by July 1, 2021.
Keeping our ministry strong will enable us to dream about an ever-growing ministry into the future.
Take time this week to reflect on the ways in which connection to our ministry has impacted you and those you know and love in the past year and start dreaming about what God may be up to here moving forward.
In Christ,
Senior Pastor Chuck Harris
Decide to Give Sacrificially
Little has ever been accomplished without sacrifice.
This is true in our homes, our work, our church, our country. Sacrifice is a necessary component of successful living.
And so it is with the Christian life and faith. Our salvation cost God the cross. Bonhoeffer rightly said there is no cheap grace.
Much of church giving is only token giving, averaging about two percent of income.
No wonder there is so little joy or satisfaction in it! It requires no sacrifice! We have given only what we could easily afford, what we would not really miss.
Experience has shown that giving, to be meaningful and joyful, has to be sacrificial!
Each will have to determine what amount or percentage is sacrificial for his or her circumstances. But experience again suggests that for most people sacrificial giving begins at five percent of income with proportions under five percent falling into the token giving category.
Church interest is often low, studies have shown, because investment is low.
There is no sacrifice. It doesn’t really cost anything. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there will be your heart also.” (Luke 12:34) Where is my treasure? That is where you will find your heart.