Ministers Desk 4th September

Last week in the service I said that stewardship was primarily about our relationship with God.  Growing disciples of Jesus seek to ensure that there is nothing that has a greater hold on their lives than God, including their money and possessions.  Stewardship is therefore about our growth in richness toward God, where we place greater trust and confidence in him, than in our money and possessions.  At the same time, stewardship is unashamedly about the money that we give.  The gospel does call us to be generous in our giving toward the work of God through this congregation.

We can never forget that to run a congregation such as ours requires money, in fact to maintain the ministry team and activities that we now have requires a large increase in income for 2012.  In 2011 we have adopted a balanced budget.  This was only possible because we have planned to rely on $15 000 of savings from previous years to fund our general ministry and $31 200 of reserves to fund planned maintenance works.  These savings are limited and we cannot rely on them for many more years.

On top of this planned use of savings we have also noticed a decrease in our offerings already this year.  We are currently receiving an average of $225 per week less than was budgeted.  Most significantly, this figure is also less than our actual offerings for 2010.  Should we continue with our current level of giving, we can expect an additional shortfall of $12 000 for the year, on top of the planned use of reserves.

The local congregation is God’s gift to bring salvation and discipleship to the world (Acts 2:42-47 & Acts 4:32-37).  I’m sure that we can each think of ways that we and our families have been blessed by God through this congregation.  This congregation has an eternal impact on those that we connect with through our groups for children, youth and adults, Community Helping Hand, ministry to schools, Tiny Town and our mission support locally, nationally and internationally.   God's chosen means of providing financially for his church is through our tithes and offerings (2 Corinthians 9:11).  Whilst God does not need us, the church or our money, God has chosen to use us.  The privilege that it is to be part of the salvation that God is bringing to this world should make us more, not less, eager to give.

So I encourage you in the coming week, prayerfully consider the value of your thanksgiving offering and your pledge for the coming year.  Give generously and joyfully and as you do remember that you are not giving to an organisation, you are participating with Jesus Christ in his mission.  I give you my thanks for your generosity and your participation in the life of this church.  However, ultimately our reward for giving doesn’t come from me; it comes from God as we are blessed in this life and the next with his pleasure and presence as he says to us, “well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt 25:21).