According to Mark January 2017
As we close 2016 we begin a pivotal year in the life of Townsend Congregational Church, UCC. Since I arrived in the summer of 2014, we have been through a lot of re-newal. We had a lightning strike to the steeple which rocked us back on our heels but we rallied to fix not just the steeple, but also, with your generosity, the clock tower, the belfry, and with the help of some major gifts, the front portico and columns. We undertook a project to understand what it means to be a vital church, and a team of us went to Maine and undertook a year-long journey to bring back to us how to re-claim our historical roots as ‘the church that does stuff for the community’. We sought to re-energize our ministries and begin to grow in learning and faith, and we have new programs that are making a difference in music, for the kids, for our Sunday worship, our faith learning initiatives, and our teens/youth group.
There’s a lot of “re-” in our journey so far. And the prefix “re-” implies that we are always seeking to do what we have done in the past, only better. As we look to wrap up the year, I’d like to “re” think how we give to TCC.
Giving takes many forms in the world and the Church. Traditionally we hear about a “tithe”, that phrase found deep in the Hebrew Scriptures which required the people to give 10% of all their harvest and livestock to the Temple as a recognition that all came from God and should be given back to God as an act of gratitude (in modern societies, we have converted that to 10% of our financial resources). Now Jesus and Paul don’t say much about tithing, but the Church inherited this Hebrew tradition of celebrating God’s many gifts to us and as a way for us to express our gratitude and faith.
Some members give 10% or more of their annual income. Others would like to and aren’t there yet. Every time we ask for pledges this topic of “tithing” comes around. So let’s address a couple concerns:
1. Don’t get hung up on gross (before any deductions) versus net (after taxes and other deductions) income. Pick either number or somewhere in between if you want.
2. Most of us are generous givers, and give to charities beyond the Church. So don’t cut your contribution to TEO or the local animal shelter, or stop giving to the American Cancer Society to fund the Church. All social causes help protect and provide for what we are working toward – realizing the Kingdom of God right here, right now, in Townsend by providing for all creatures great and small, and all causes which protect the dignity of each individual no matter who you are or where you are on your faith journey.
3. The idea of tithing is daunting. What if the car breaks down? What if my kid needs braces or I need surgery and have unexpected expenses? Please have an emergency fund on hand and provide for your family’s immediate needs; God wants us to protect our loved ones and have strong families.
4. I give in other ways to the Church, am I being unfaithful if I don’t tithe in money? No, of course not. It’s not about amount of funds; it’s about being deliberate and faithful with time, talent and treasure, so if you can’t do money because life keeps throwing curve balls, then try giving in other ways. Come learn
about God’s grace in Bible study. Work on a community supper and give back to others. Volunteer at the VCCC and work with little ones. Come talk with me about what your passion is, and we’ll find a place in the community where you’re helping build God’s Kingdom and you can start to grow spiritually and get in the habit of giving more. But engage your heart, and feel good about your tithe combination of time, talent, and treasure.
I’d like for us to think about this year using the 2nd Sunday of the month for focusing our attention, prayers, and hearts on deliberative giving. It’s a time where we can go out on a limb a little and increase our contribution to God in joy and gratitude in little ways. Add a little more to your regular contribution. Sign up to help for an event in the next 3-4 weeks. Ask Pastor Mark about what’s available around town in an area of interest you have.
We are going to call this “Trything”. It’s combining Tithing with our “doing one new thing” but stretching ourselves to give a little more not just once each church year, but once each month. By gently nudging ourselves and each other toward giving with our hearts, we will snap us out of our complacency and maybe work toward that goal of giving what we can in gratitude and joy to God.
So for this new year’s resolution: Write down on a piece of paper what you do now with TCC in time, talent and treasure. Then write down what you’d LIKE to do in the future with TCC in time, talent, and treasure. And then make a plan for how to get there, starting with “Trything” a new thing each second Sunday of the month!
And thank you most of all for thinking and praying, deeply and deliberatively about what we’re building at TCC. Working together, the Kingdom of God is both near and here!
Pastor Mark
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