March 2 - 8, 2009

 SOLI/Update

    www.stewardshipoflife.org


Our editorialist is off this week.  Here is a guest column.
 

Stewardship in a Small Congregation
 
By Dana Reardon

The woman left the doctor's office in despair.  The doctor had handed her some pills for the suffering to come and told her that she had about two years to live.  The worry would probably kill her sooner.

After the door closed the nurse who had been in attendance at the doctor's pronouncement said to her, "Why didn't you tell her that if she radically changed her diet and got off her but and worked out every day that she could live another forty years?"

And the doctor said, "I just knew it would be very hard and she wouldn't want to do all that was necessary.  Even worse she would get angry at me for making her work so hard at it so I decided that this was all she could manage."

Can you imagine this scenario?  Would you be upset if the fatal diagnosis your doctor gave you was not really necessary?  It would be malpractice.  A diagnosis ought to at least be your choice to live or to die.

Churches are dying.  They are closing and some of them should.  They have done there work and it is accomplished or they have done nothing and it will not be a great loss when they go.  We are graceful and say well done good and faithful servant to both and close the doors.

But there are some churches that may have struggled and were sick but are getting healthier.  In the midst of the sickness, like many of us. a church's finances can suffer.  So as churches turn around and begin to grow they are nagged by this chronic ailment of money worries.

A pastor who does not talk about stewardship and even about tithing and then lets his or her congregation die a premature death is committing malpractice.

My congregation has been through some conflict and struggles, but we are coming out on the other side and beginning to grow.  But will we grow faster than our deficit?  And are we fair to look for more people to pay our bill rather than to share the love of Christ and the Christian journey with them? 

So I have decided that I will not commit malpractice.  I will tell the truth that it only takes 25 tithing families to support a church.  I will say that churches are poor because over time they have chosen to be.  I say that when I speak in other congregations on stewardship.  It is time I spoke the truth here.

I have invited people to sign up to pray about and work toward tithing.  I am hoping for 25 signatures, but we will begin where we can.  It will take time, like getting into shape and eating right but it can be done. 

I give because it is a blessing to give and in thanksgiving for what God has given me.  But because I know that giving is a blessing, I can happily ask others to join me.

If we close our doors it will be when our work is accomplished and not because I was afraid to say the hard but in the end truly rewarding words about tithing to my people.

Let us pray, Lord, You have taught us that where our treasure are, there our hearts will be.  Open our hearts and our pocketbooks to you work in this world.  Amen

Copyright (c) 2009, The Rev. Dana Reardon. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Email her at mspastor@aol.com. The Rev. Dana Reardon is pastor at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Warwick, RI. 

New This Week:

Churches Must Address their Stewardship Problems Head-On
Church Solutions“The truth of the matter is that your membership is comprised of scores of people that are not good stewards. They attend your services, use your facilities and count as attendees, but they rarely pull their own weight in terms of dollars contributed.” Sound familiar? Click here for “Churches Must Address their Stewardship Problems Head-On,” in Church Solutions magazine.


Beyond Fundraising: Developing a Year-Round Culture of Giving
Davis S. Bell“Church leaders can greatly influence the understanding of money and stewardship in the life of a congregation.  Generous giving is a spiritual gift that requires cultivation and growth, like any aspect of one’s Christian formation.” Read on for advice on how leaders can model and inspire generosity. Click here for “Beyond Fundraising,” from noted stewardship consultant David S. Bell from his website, www.davidsbell.org.


The Blessing of Limits
 “There is nothing like a good dose of reality to yield a blessing,” begins this thoughtful essay. “Reality is always about limits, but in some centuries we obscure it with ideas about limitless growth and possibility.  There are now both spiritual and material arguments assessing our idolatry of growth.  We can have progress—without growth.  We can have joy—without growth.  We can have community—without growth.” Click here for “The Blessing of Limits,” from an excellent webpage of the United Church of Christ webpage, Faith in Tough Economic Times.”


Getting Back to the Basics of Faith and Money
Here is good advice as the economy crumbles: “In the midst of fear, we proclaim hope. In the midst of death, we testify to life. In the midst of hate, we live love. In the midst of conflict, we offer peace. In the midst of moral confusion, we teach the basics of how to live abundantly.” Click here for “Getting Back to the Basics of Faith and Money,” from Bishop Scott Jones of the Kansas West Conference of the United Methodist Church.


Lectionary Reflection: You Are Worth Everything – Act Like You Are!
Sharron Lucas“Have you ever wondered what your life is worth?” Good question, for which there are lots of answers from lots of sources. But when it comes to the Gospel, we have the true answer! Click here for “You Are Worth Everything,” this week’s lectionary reflection from Pastor Sharron Reissinger Lucas. Click here to read her archived columns.