Some of you may know I grew up in Australia and was raised in a Catholic family.When I took the position of Stewardship on the Vestry, I admitted freely to not really knowing what was involved.Kind of reminds me of my first ever job  interview.I had started looking in the Jobs section of the local newspaper and just started alphabetically  (not really knowing what I wanted to do) and so advertising was top of the list.  When asked at the interview why I had chosen a career in advertising, I thought by being honest and saying well it starts with A wouldn't have gone down so well, so I fluffed some answer about always having been interested in Advertising.Quite honestly I had no idea what advertising involved (and by the way I did get the job). I also had no idea if my parents contributed monetarily to the church we attended and it certainly wasn't something they would have talked about with me.  So when I joined Christ Church after many years of not attending any sort of house of faith, I didn't really think too much about it.

 

I noticed there was a great community here involved in a lot of activities - Sunday school for the kids, a beautiful building and grounds to enjoy, worship and meet in, a wonderful clergy and staff. But like any organization there are costs involved.  How do we pay for the staff, the lighting and heating and for all the wonderful programs that Christ Church has to offer?  Where did the building come from?  We can say from God and ultimately it does, but it comes from people like you and me, inspired by God, seeing a need and getting together to fulfill that need. Coming out of the visioning experience I heard a lot about the things that we enjoy and treasure about Christ Church.  Our wonderful clergy, beautiful sanctuary, the sermons, the music and the fellowship that Christ Church offers and we all value.  I also heard that what we need is more fellowship and opportunities to grow in faith together.  We need to know that the Church is financially sound, so that the programs and services that we love are not cut.

 

We have a fabulous opportunity to build and strengthen what we have and to grow in faith and fellowship so that we can enjoy and share in these gifts God has given us.There is a lot of Hope for us looking forward. In my first years at Christ Church I didn't pledge as it was alien to me. As time went on and I found myself spending more time learning, growing and feeding myself spiritually here, I began to feel an uneasy gnaw that I didn't give.I received so much from the Church, from Father Hague, from the whole community that I needed to return the favor. I began volunteering more wherever I saw a need and felt that I could contribute.That felt satisfying.But then the gnaw came back.I didn't contribute financially.I made a lot of excuses.I don't work outside the home for a living, the rest of my family don't come to church, I volunteer my time,I am just one person, surely they don't need  my money.Then one day my beloved husband said, you know you obviously spend a lot of time at church, it clearly means a lot to you.You should really be giving them some money.
 
He was absolutely right and I started to pledge.Now I felt completely and wholly part of the church community.I was receiving and giving and it felt very good.I had made the connection and the commitment.Years ago when I was living in London before having my children, I was studying to be a homeopath. I remember in my second year of studies we were instructed in the running of a practice.We learned about all the legal and ethical aspects of running a practice.  One of our lecturers, a practicing homeopath, said something that struck me and has stayed with me all these years.He told us that when someone comes to you to seek help and healing that they need to pay you for the service, you are running a business after all and you have overheads, but he said it is also important for their healing process - in fact it is key.He said the remedy won't work if they don't give something for it.  Sounded like magic to me. However what he was saying was right.That to receive the healing we should think about giving something in return for that gift.He said if they can't pay you in money they could give you something in-kind, whether it is chopping wood, fixing your leaky roof, eggs from their chickens. Whatever it is they can offer and is agreed as a fair exchange in return for the remedy, then the contract is complete.Let the healing begin.