Dear People of God at St. Luke's,
During Sunday services this last month I handed out to everyone present a single dollar bill-it came from my discretionary fund, which is for 'holy and charitable works.' I did so with the direction that those present were to look for opportunities out in the world to do something which might help those in need.
The scriptural warrants for this were from two Gospel passages. The first was about Lazarus, a beggar, who is ignored by the rich home owner at whose gate Lazarus sat. The fellow has traditionally been given the name Dives (two syllables, di-ves). Dives never really noticed, never saw, Lazarus. The second Gospel reading is about having faith the size of mustard seed. So people were invited to really see, and then use the dollar in an act of faith even if it seems small, the monetary equivalent of a mustard seed.
I had used a red marker to run down the edges of the dollars so they stood out from whatever else people carried. I asked that people tell me what they ended up doing with their dollar.
What a variety of uses those dollars were put to!
A micro-finance effort in California, Kiva (if you don't know about micro-financing as an economic help to those in need to achieve economic independence I urge you to ask me or search on the internet). The two dollars from that household were added to the minimum of $25 to open an account.
Several put the dollar into one of the boxes that sit at cash registers for Children's Hospital, or feeding programs for children (hope.com), or cancer research funds.
One person encountered a woman begging for money to support her children, and since then has encountered three more, to whom she have additional dollars. Another gave his dollar to a homeless veteran, and another person gave it to a busker in Central Square.
Others used the dollar as an incentive to add more dollars and buy food for the food pantry.
A scholarship fund for Boston area children for an enrichment program, Summer Stars in the Berkshires; children are given education and support in musical arts.
I'm still interested in collecting stories. I know several people have told me that they are waiting for an opportunity when they both see a need and know that God is presenting this specific opportunity.
Weren't there on the Sunday when dollars were handed out? Nothing to stop you from taking one from your own wallet and doing the same, and letting me know.
As a matter of fact, the exercise is in part meant to lead you to continue to see needs in the world around you and to respond. It all fits into Jesus' teaching: to love God, love neighbor, change the world.
Which leads me to my final point in purposeful giving of money. At St. Luke's this last Sunday, St. Luke's Day, we started our Stewardship Drive for the 2014 budget. We need you and yours to pledge. I mean, really need it. This last year we had less than 120 pledges from the 300+ households we send this newsletter to. We started the year with a budget in the red, and we are slowly making progress on making up for that short-fall.
When you pledge you aren't giving to 'the church,' you are giving it to the mission and work of the church as informed by our following Jesus and led by the Spirit. Your dollars go to help make sure that the building is maintained and the staff is paid, but building and staff are just parts of the work of the church, and we-the entire people of the church-do so much.
Pledge forms are in the narthex. They have been mailed to you in one letter already. You can find a form you can print out on our website. Another will come in the body of our weekly Thursday newsletters.
If you face financial uncertainties I offer two ways to think about this need. First, at any time you can let the treasurer know you need to alter your pledge level; no questions asked. Second, instead of thinking of how much you can give, how about how much you can at least give-not the 'reach' amount, but what you can safely anticipate you can give to our work together.
Remember: love God, love your neighbor, change the world.
In Christ,
Grant