I've heard that since I was a child. Another thing I often heard was that whatever you give, you get back several times over. Of all the things I heard as a kid, for some reason, I really believed these two concepts.
As a young working adult, before I was married, my Dad told me that I should give a portion of what I earned to the church (at that time, All Saints', Pontiac). "Whatever you give to the church is between you and God. It is always returned in ways you may not understand, but it always comes back to you," I remember him saying.
Over the years, I've found he was right. Giving must come from your heart. You must give deliberate, thoughtful, and especially PRAYERFUL thought to what you give to the church. And, yes, it does always come back in one way or another. It's usually not in a monetary way, but in a way I feel surging through me, increasing my own belief in God'sgoodness.
This year it is especially important to PRAY about what you do. Michigan families are facing hard times. We don't know what's around the corner for the auto industry that has run this region throughout my life. Yet, life does go on, and this church will be a part of your life no matter what. In fact, I think the support and encouragement of your fellowchurch members is even more important during hard times.
St. Andrew's needs your pledges, but you must also support your family. I remember when our family consisted of five children ages 12 and under. Outfitting all of them in snowsuits, gloves, scarves, hats and boots could break the bank!! Then there were unplanned doctor bills, school trips, college expenses, etc. etc.
Yet, we always gave a pledge to the church we attended. Some years that pledge would be larger than in other years depending upon what expenses we knew were coming. Some years we hit the mark of our pledge, some years we fell short and some years we went over. Some years we knew we could give more than we did in the previous year. Those were ALLELUIA years!!
Here at St. Andrew's I feel our family has a second family, just as important and just as loving and accepting as our family at home. We've grown in our closeness to God through the educational and spiritual programs here and through the wonderfully thought out sermons of Rev. Bob Wollard and Rev, Marlyn Stroud. I believe in the church's ability to move ahead.
This year as a member of the Vestry Budget Committee, I hope you will think deliberately about what you can do. I hope you will be thoughtful as you fill out the pledge card. But, mostly, I hope you will be PRAYERFUL and really listen to what God is telling you to do. I hope your gift comes directly from you PRAYERS and from your heart.
I firmly believe in St. Andrew's Episcopal Church's ability to maintain programs to the best of its ability. I firmly believe that God's work is done here and that work reaches outside the church to those in the community.
And, I firmly believe that whatever we give will come back to each of us several times over throughout the next year and the years ahead.
THINK, PRAY, THEN GIVE FROM YOUR HEART.
Charlotte Wall
St. Andrew's Mission Statement
The mission of St. Andrew's Church is to show forth powerfully the love of God in Christ, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, by means of worship, fellowship and service to all who come to us, to those whom we seek out and to one another. Corporately, we will grow in numbers and in tangible and intangible resources. Communally as well as personally, we will grow toward the full maturity of Christ.
