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Our treasurer has warned us that we are heading for a deficit in our General Account of around £20,000 and the leaflets and display boards explain what has been happening to our finances and why we are facing such a huge deficit. It doesn't give us the whole picture. For an inkling of what that might be, we need to look at the first board which is not about money but about our Church life. It is a small snapshot of some of the good things we are doing in the service of the Gospel.
Mission and Ministry need resources. The main resource is provided by the people who minister and mission and who give so freely and generously of their time and gifts. Christian Stewardship has always been about three things - giving our TIME in the service of the Gospel.; Giving our TALENTS; the gifts God gives to us which He encourages us to use in his mission to save the world. Discovering our Gifts and how to use them fruitfully is the work of Christian Vocation. God calls us to be the Church and then calls each of us to use our individual gifts in differing ways. Thirdly, Stewardship is about MONEY, the contribution we make so that the mission of the Church can go forward.
Giving provides to God that we are serious about the Gospel and about proclaiming it in a variety of ways so that the mission of Jesus Christ might prosper. That mission is defined by the Gospel. Christian Stewardship beings by having a big Gospel vision about what God is doing in our lives, though our church and in our community. once we have theat vision, the next stage is to seek out the gifts within each one of us that will help to fulfil that vision. Finally we need to pay for it and her's where money comes in. If we start the other way round - what money have we got and what will it pay for, then our vision of God's kingdom may be very small indeed.
Looking at what we are doing as a Church, here , in the Diocese and in ht world, can help us to see that the reason we need money is to go on growing in faith and discipleship and Christian service. This is not a cap in hand appeal. This is an appeal to follow Jesus more closely as he leads us in the work of the world's salvation. it all begins with recognising Him to whom we are giving all this service and money. If we recognise Him truly and recognise too how much God has given to us in Jesus Christ, we won't give him any old umbrella. We'll give him the best and the very best is the gift of ourselves, totally. When we do that we shan't have any money worries at all.
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