It is often said that every challenge presents us with new opportunities and I believe this is very true of the financial challenge facing our church.  Our PCC Treasurer has reported that we may well have a deficit of £20,00 by the end of 2010.  This should not send us into a panic!  It is a measure of how, as a church, we have been developing our mission and ministry in response to God's promptings to be His witnesses in our community.  Much of the increase is about equipping the 'saints' of St John's from the Little Lambs to Tuesday Fellowship - embracing young and mature in the work of discipleship.  This includes paying for our leadership ministry.  We now need to encourage our financial giving to catch up with our mission.  This makes our response to God an exciting thing as we remind ourselves how much God invests in our work in His Name through Jesus Christ.

Over the next few weeks we shall be looking at how we can respond to this challenge, and we shall be inviting all members of the congregation to review their own personal giving to the work of God's church in this place.

Earlier this week a new Gifting and Giving Group met to plan our approach and today you will be given the first of a series of prayer cards.  Later, on September 26th we shall have a presentation by Barry Peart on what we are calling Gifting and Giving Sunday.  There will also be a display and information leaflets.  You will then be invited to review your giving and make a renewed commitment to God for the work of his Church here - which, because YOU are the Church is about your work.

The Gifting and Giving Group will continue to be a creative force in helping us to place our giving in the context of God's wonderful gifts to us, not least the opportunity He gives us to share in the work of Jesus Christ in proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel to Epping.

Though we shall be speaking a lot about money, our giving must always be seen as part of our gifting.  Not everyone is able to contribute more financially to the church's work, but each one of us has been given unique gifts by God to use in his service - the gift of prayer, of skills, of love.  All these gifts we are invited to offer to God for Him to use.   So our small campaign will also focus on how we can use our gifts better.  Please join in and see what God is doing in our church life and in your own. 

We are richly blessed at St John's and particularly through your own contribution to our Worship, Witness and Mission.  Thank you for all you are doing in sharing the love and joy of our Lord Jesus Christ.