Where to Give?

There's nothing like stewardship season to generate great conversations.  Start talking about giving or money and it raises all sorts of questions. Just this past week, I've heard from a couple of parishioners who actually had the same question, and so I want to share it with you in case you are wondering something similar.

"We don't just give to St. Peter's," this person said, "but to a variety of other charities and organizations. Why doesn't that count?"

Well, of course it "counts." If you give money away generously and sacrificially, and if the things to which you give are doing God's work, then that most certainly "counts." The examples this person raised were organizations that I have no problem associating with the Lord: Heifer International and the Salvation Army. These are organizations that work to alleviate hunger, poverty, and sickness around the world -- work is at the heart of our call as disciples of Jesus.

In fact, this coming Sunday, the gospel lesson comes from Matthew 25 and speaks to this very thing. In it, Jesus poses a startling image of what righteous living looks like. At the end of days, Jesus says, we will be judged on how we responded to those who hunger, thirst, are naked, imprisoned or sick, and "just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me," Jesus says. But the counter is also true: failure to serve and support the "least of these" demonstrates our failure to serve him.

The bottom line is that we give to God, not "the church." St. Peter's don't ask for your sacrificial generosity because we have bills to pay.  Rather, as the church, St. Peter's strives to be about the work of God's kingdom, so that by giving to this community you know you are truly giving to God. That's because we seek to embody and make real God's presence on earth as in heaven:

• in our weekly worship and in our Food Pantry
  
• in our support of Habitat for Humanity and and Christian education for all ages
• in our hospitality to those in recovery through AA and NA and in our fellowship in community events
  
• in our support of the Jonnycake Center and in our daily Pre-School
  

I believe in the work of St. Peter's and how we share the love of God with the world. But whatever and wherever you give, I pray that you will give so sacrificially and generously to God that it feels good. Because when giving starts to feel deeply, profoundly good inside, you'll know you're getting it right.