Another week exploring the question, "What if I didn't give...." This week, giving to other funds. I defined "other funds" early in the sermon to include special gifts within the church -- capital funds, bequests, special offerings -- and giving to other non-profits outside the church. That was probably too broad a category -- inside church giving and outside church giving could have been separate weeks, but I only had one week to do both in the preaching schedule.
The sermon had a couple of interesting stories. I also referenced the memorial gifts/bequests that have been given in this congregation the past few years, which members would know about, but visitors probably would not. I tried to give a brief explanation, but may not have had enough information for someone not familiar with this congregation.
After hearing the Minute for Mission in the Chapel service, I added a brief point in the Sanctuary sermon (it's in italics) about giving to the Endowment fund of the church. AS an aside, the Endowment Fund is probably the best-kept secret of this congregation! We should tell more about it more often.
I do not believe I have preached the 1 Corinthians passage as part of stewardship (maybe ever) before yesterday. I found it to be a particularly powerful example of how we can grow into being generous givers.
"What If I Didn't Give To Other Funds” October 26, 2014; FPC, Troy; Stewardship series; 2014; 2 Corinthians 9: 1-5; 1 Corinthians 16: 1-4
Introduction: We continue reflecting on the question, "What if I didn't give...." this week moving to "what if I didn't give to other funds..."
By other funds, I am speaking of those other giving opportunities that exist in the church – capital campaigns; special offerings of the denomination; and making special gifts through your will – and outside the church – the many different non-profits that depend on people like you to stay afloat and continue in their ministries.
25 or 30 years ago, this sermon would not have included outside giving – historically, the Presbyterian church has focused its giving conversations exclusively on the giving to the operating budget of the local congregation, the special offerings of the Presbyterian Church, and an occasional capital campaign for projects in the local congregation. Gifts to other groups were made from the church's budget, so the emphasis was on giving to the church budget.
But, the world changes, and how non-profits operate and the ministries they do make demands on us. When I reflect on giving and teaching stewardship, it seems a bit silly to not recognize the impact of giving to other groups in my thoughts.
Please note that I am not going to spend time this morning answering the common question – “does my tithe include what I give to other non-profits?”
Basically, the average Presbyterian gives a little over 2% of their income to their church, which means that most of us have plenty of room in our giving budget to give to other groups – so until we are all giving a tithe, 10%, to our church, the question of how to count the tithe doesn't seem that important.
Move 1: If I didn't give to other funds, some of those groups would struggle, and might not even exist.
a. have you ever heard of Ghost Ranch.
1. Ghost Ranch is a Presbyterian conference center in NM. I spent a few days their during my clergy renewal time. Ranch is set in a canyon with beautiful vistas and hikes and opportunities to explore.
2. But is hasn't always been a Presbyterian conference center. Early on after settlers arrived in New Mexico, it was home to cattle rustlers, who loved the safety from authorities the canyon provided. There are stories of death and betrayal that took place at the ranch during that time.
3. IN the early 20th century, it's deed was lost in a poker game, which seemed like good fortune to the man who won it. His fortune did not last very long, because as soon as he deeded the ranch in his wife’s name, she divorced him and took over the ranch.
4. She made it into a getaway for Northeasterners who wanted to visit the dry, arid, beautiful land of NM. One of the most influential people to visit Ghost Ranch was Arthur Pack, writer and editor of Nature Magazine. Arthur's daughter suffered from bouts of pneumonia, so he and his family had to move to an area with a drier climate- he came to Stanley's ranch. He bought the ranch (I might note that The renowned artist Georgia O'Keeffe, also loved visiting Ghost Ranch, and in fact, many of her paintings include views from Ghost Ranch).
5. As Arthur Pack aged, he began to take concern in how the ranch will be passed on. He spoke with the YMCA, the Boy Scouts of America, the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, and the United Brethren Church about having and maintaining the ranch. But none of these organizations were in a position to accept the offer. Then, the Presbyterians accepted the offer of using the space as an educational facility, though it would be difficult for them to develop.
6. Now, the ranch is used as an educational and retreat center. Over 300 classes are offered each year in the beautiful setting in Northern New Mexico.
7. This camp and conference center would not exist if not for the gift of Arthur Pack.
b. When I visit with the leadership of different non-profits in the area, I am continually reminded by them about how much Presbyterians do for non-profits – with monetary gifts, giving of time and sharing of talent – many non-profits and their ministries depend on your generosity.
c. When we read Paul's letters to the Corinthians about the special offering he is collecting for the Christians in Jerusalem, Paul will give lots of great reasons for giving – but do not miss in those arguments that the Jerusalem Christians need to the money to survive in their plight as persecuted Christians.
If I did not give to other groups, they would struggle or maybe not even exist.
Move 2: If I didn't give to other funds, I would lose an opportunity to witness to others what I value.
a. Do you notice that Paul wants the Corinthians to give to the Jerusalem Christians, in part, as a witness to the way their common bond as Christians.
1. When the Corinthians collect that offering, when they send those funds, they announce to the world that Christians are tied together in a way that transcends their geography.
2. This special offering is a concrete way to witness to the world what it means to be a Christian.
b. Our congregation has been blessed in the last few years with gifts given in a variety of ways and the death of a member.
1. These gifts have provided the resources to do additional mission work, or paid for youth activities, or helped with special projects in taking care of the church facility.
2. In fact, the Session has set up some of these funds so that they will continue to provide and income stream for these purposes long into the future.
3. Equally as important as the monetary gifts are, is the witness the gifts make.
4. the person, or the person's family, uses the occasion of their death to witness to their faith by giving a gift to God.
5. those gifts give concrete expression to that which we profess – that “in life and in death we belong to God” (Heidelberg Catechism).
c. We heard about some of the wonderful ways our Endowment Fund is used to support ministry in the world. The Endowment Fund grows, in part, by bequests. It offers a way for someone to ensure to witness to their love for doing mission by giving to the Endowment Fund at their death.
d. Perhaps you know the story of how Stanford University came into being.
1. I don't mean the exaggerated story that makes the fund raising circles that inaccurately describes the Stanfords as showing up at Harvard and being dismissed by the President of Harvard and then going to start their own university in CA.:
2. The real story is cool enough.
3. Leland Stanford made his money in the railroad business in CA in the 19th century. While he, his wife Jane and only son Leland, Jr. were in Florence, Italy, Leland, Jr. died of typhoid fever, just before his 16th bir4thday.
4. His father, who had had remained at Lelands' bedside continuously, fell into a troubled sleep the morning the boy died. When he awakened he turned to his wife and said,
"The children of California shall be our children."
5. On their way back to CA from Italy, the Stanfords stopped and visited These words were the real beginning of Stanford University. Cornell, Yale, Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. They talked with President Eliot of Harvard about three ideas: a university at Palo Alto, a large institution in San Francisco combining a lecture hall and a museum, and a technical school. They asked him which of these seemed most desirable and President Eliot answered, a university. Mrs. Stanford then asked him how much the endowment should be, in addition to land and buildings, and he replied, not less than $5 million. A silence followed and Mrs. Stanford looked grave. Finally, Mr. Stanford said with a smile, "Well, Jane, we could manage that, couldn't we?" and Mrs. Stanford nodded her head. (https://web.archive.org/web/19970113162511/http://www.stanford.edu/home/stanford/history/begin.html; you can read the fictionalzied version at snopes.com)
6. a gift that today still witnesses to the love parents had for their son and their desire to benefit the children of CA.
I I didn't make special gifts, I would miss a chance to witness to what I value.
Move 3: If I didn't give to other funds/special funds, then I could miss a chance to get connected.
a.. Jerusalem collection
1. Connected to each other.
2. one reason Paul challenges them to give to the special offering is the way it connects them to the Corinthians and binds them together.
b. When we give to groups (maybe not the $25 gift that is easier to give than to say "no"), it does create a connection that generally leads to our being more connected with that group.
c. Ice bucket challenge – Leslie and I gave a couple of different times as part of that challenge.
1. AS part of that, I gave them my email address.
2. Just this past week I received another email from them: it thanked me again, and then offered links to places I could go to learn more about ALS the disease and places I could go to get more connected with their activities.
3. They believe that if I gave a gift to that cause, that I might be interested in getting more involved in it.
When I give to other groups, I open the door to getting more connected with that group.
Move 4: Finally, if I didn't give to special funds, then I would not learn to be a more generous giver.
a. Let's be honest – the tithe feels formulaic
1. It's not difficult.
2. each fall as part of the stewardship campaign I can take what Leslie and I earn and then do the math. 10% is so much, divided by 24 (we send a check twice a month).
3. Done. Obligation met.
b. of course, that does not necessarily give me the spirit of generosity.
1. In fact, in some ways it makes me less generous.
2. When another groups asks for money, I can always say, “Sorry, I gave at the church.” or, “no thanks, I've already met my tithe.”
c. Did you hear how Paul encouraged the Corinthians to give to the special offering.
1. On the first day of the week, put aside your extra money so that when Paul arrives he does not have to push them at that one time for a big collection.
2. Notice that Paul is showing the Corinthians how they can build generosity into their weekly living.
3. generosity is not a one-time expression, but a pattern of living.
when we chose to give to other groups, to push our giving limits, we develop the pattern of generosity.
Conclusion: When we give to special funds, we grow as the generous givers God calls us to be. Amen.
"What If I Didn't Give To Other Funds” October 26, 2014; FPC, Troy; Stewardship series; 2014; 2 Corinthians 9: 1-5; 1 Corinthians 16: 1-4
Introduction: We continue reflecting on the question, "What if I didn't give...." this week moving to "what if I didn't give to other funds..."
By other funds, I am speaking of those other giving opportunities that exist in the church – capital campaigns; special offerings of the denomination; and making special gifts through your will – and outside the church – the many different non-profits that depend on people like you to stay afloat and continue in their ministries.
25 or 30 years ago, this sermon would not have included outside giving – historically, the Presbyterian church has focused its giving conversations exclusively on the giving to the operating budget of the local congregation, the special offerings of the Presbyterian Church, and an occasional capital campaign for projects in the local congregation. Gifts to other groups were made from the church's budget, so the emphasis was on giving to the church budget.
But, the world changes, and how non-profits operate and the ministries they do make demands on us. When I reflect on giving and teaching stewardship, it seems a bit silly to not recognize the impact of giving to other groups in my thoughts.
Please note that I am not going to spend time this morning answering the common question – “does my tithe include what I give to other non-profits?”
Basically, the average Presbyterian gives a little over 2% of their income to their church, which means that most of us have plenty of room in our giving budget to give to other groups – so until we are all giving a tithe, 10%, to our church, the question of how to count the tithe doesn't seem that important.
Move 1: If I didn't give to other funds, some of those groups would struggle, and might not even exist.
a. have you ever heard of Ghost Ranch.
1. Ghost Ranch is a Presbyterian conference center in NM. I spent a few days their during my clergy renewal time. Ranch is set in a canyon with beautiful vistas and hikes and opportunities to explore.
2. But is hasn't always been a Presbyterian conference center. Early on after settlers arrived in New Mexico, it was home to cattle rustlers, who loved the safety from authorities the canyon provided. There are stories of death and betrayal that took place at the ranch during that time.
3. IN the early 20th century, it's deed was lost in a poker game, which seemed like good fortune to the man who won it. His fortune did not last very long, because as soon as he deeded the ranch in his wife’s name, she divorced him and took over the ranch.
4. She made it into a getaway for Northeasterners who wanted to visit the dry, arid, beautiful land of NM. One of the most influential people to visit Ghost Ranch was Arthur Pack, writer and editor of Nature Magazine. Arthur's daughter suffered from bouts of pneumonia, so he and his family had to move to an area with a drier climate- he came to Stanley's ranch. He bought the ranch (I might note that The renowned artist Georgia O'Keeffe, also loved visiting Ghost Ranch, and in fact, many of her paintings include views from Ghost Ranch).
5. As Arthur Pack aged, he began to take concern in how the ranch will be passed on. He spoke with the YMCA, the Boy Scouts of America, the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, and the United Brethren Church about having and maintaining the ranch. But none of these organizations were in a position to accept the offer. Then, the Presbyterians accepted the offer of using the space as an educational facility, though it would be difficult for them to develop.
6. Now, the ranch is used as an educational and retreat center. Over 300 classes are offered each year in the beautiful setting in Northern New Mexico.
7. This camp and conference center would not exist if not for the gift of Arthur Pack.
b. When I visit with the leadership of different non-profits in the area, I am continually reminded by them about how much Presbyterians do for non-profits – with monetary gifts, giving of time and sharing of talent – many non-profits and their ministries depend on your generosity.
c. When we read Paul's letters to the Corinthians about the special offering he is collecting for the Christians in Jerusalem, Paul will give lots of great reasons for giving – but do not miss in those arguments that the Jerusalem Christians need to the money to survive in their plight as persecuted Christians.
If I did not give to other groups, they would struggle or maybe not even exist.
Move 2: If I didn't give to other funds, I would lose an opportunity to witness to others what I value.
a. Do you notice that Paul wants the Corinthians to give to the Jerusalem Christians, in part, as a witness to the way their common bond as Christians.
1. When the Corinthians collect that offering, when they send those funds, they announce to the world that Christians are tied together in a way that transcends their geography.
2. This special offering is a concrete way to witness to the world what it means to be a Christian.
b. Our congregation has been blessed in the last few years with gifts given in a variety of ways and the death of a member.
1. These gifts have provided the resources to do additional mission work, or paid for youth activities, or helped with special projects in taking care of the church facility.
2. In fact, the Session has set up some of these funds so that they will continue to provide and income stream for these purposes long into the future.
3. Equally as important as the monetary gifts are, is the witness the gifts make.
4. the person, or the person's family, uses the occasion of their death to witness to their faith by giving a gift to God.
5. those gifts give concrete expression to that which we profess – that “in life and in death we belong to God” (Heidelberg Catechism).
c. We heard about some of the wonderful ways our Endowment Fund is used to support ministry in the world. The Endowment Fund grows, in part, by bequests. It offers a way for someone to ensure to witness to their love for doing mission by giving to the Endowment Fund at their death.
d. Perhaps you know the story of how Stanford University came into being.
1. I don't mean the exaggerated story that makes the fund raising circles that inaccurately describes the Stanfords as showing up at Harvard and being dismissed by the President of Harvard and then going to start their own university in CA.:
2. The real story is cool enough.
3. Leland Stanford made his money in the railroad business in CA in the 19th century. While he, his wife Jane and only son Leland, Jr. were in Florence, Italy, Leland, Jr. died of typhoid fever, just before his 16th bir4thday.
4. His father, who had had remained at Lelands' bedside continuously, fell into a troubled sleep the morning the boy died. When he awakened he turned to his wife and said,
"The children of California shall be our children."
5. On their way back to CA from Italy, the Stanfords stopped and visited These words were the real beginning of Stanford University. Cornell, Yale, Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. They talked with President Eliot of Harvard about three ideas: a university at Palo Alto, a large institution in San Francisco combining a lecture hall and a museum, and a technical school. They asked him which of these seemed most desirable and President Eliot answered, a university. Mrs. Stanford then asked him how much the endowment should be, in addition to land and buildings, and he replied, not less than $5 million. A silence followed and Mrs. Stanford looked grave. Finally, Mr. Stanford said with a smile, "Well, Jane, we could manage that, couldn't we?" and Mrs. Stanford nodded her head. (https://web.archive.org/web/19970113162511/http://www.stanford.edu/home/stanford/history/begin.html; you can read the fictionalzied version at snopes.com)
6. a gift that today still witnesses to the love parents had for their son and their desire to benefit the children of CA.
I I didn't make special gifts, I would miss a chance to witness to what I value.
Move 3: If I didn't give to other funds/special funds, then I could miss a chance to get connected.
a.. Jerusalem collection
1. Connected to each other.
2. one reason Paul challenges them to give to the special offering is the way it connects them to the Corinthians and binds them together.
b. When we give to groups (maybe not the $25 gift that is easier to give than to say "no"), it does create a connection that generally leads to our being more connected with that group.
c. Ice bucket challenge – Leslie and I gave a couple of different times as part of that challenge.
1. AS part of that, I gave them my email address.
2. Just this past week I received another email from them: it thanked me again, and then offered links to places I could go to learn more about ALS the disease and places I could go to get more connected with their activities.
3. They believe that if I gave a gift to that cause, that I might be interested in getting more involved in it.
When I give to other groups, I open the door to getting more connected with that group.
Move 4: Finally, if I didn't give to special funds, then I would not learn to be a more generous giver.
a. Let's be honest – the tithe feels formulaic
1. It's not difficult.
2. each fall as part of the stewardship campaign I can take what Leslie and I earn and then do the math. 10% is so much, divided by 24 (we send a check twice a month).
3. Done. Obligation met.
b. of course, that does not necessarily give me the spirit of generosity.
1. In fact, in some ways it makes me less generous.
2. When another groups asks for money, I can always say, “Sorry, I gave at the church.” or, “no thanks, I've already met my tithe.”
c. Did you hear how Paul encouraged the Corinthians to give to the special offering.
1. On the first day of the week, put aside your extra money so that when Paul arrives he does not have to push them at that one time for a big collection.
2. Notice that Paul is showing the Corinthians how they can build generosity into their weekly living.
3. generosity is not a one-time expression, but a pattern of living.
when we chose to give to other groups, to push our giving limits, we develop the pattern of generosity.
Conclusion: When we give to special funds, we grow as the generous givers God calls us to be. Amen.
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