Everyone here tithes and other myths about church giving

Churches working together. A practical example of generosity in action from the Presbytery of Milwaukee. Inspired by Matthew 25 where Jesus reminds his followers that helping the stranger, the sick and the prisoner is helping him.

Church isn’t one size fits all. But is keeping the church open a vision?

Quietly worshipful and noisily grateful. That's the people's response to Jesus' miracle of raising the widow's son back to life. What does it mean for a church to be quietly worshipful and noisily grateful?

Hope, adventure and promise. Words to live by! Not nostalgia for a past that will not return - falling prey to nostalgia could trap Anglicans into thinking that turning out the lights is the only option. Bad jokes don’t tell the whole truth. Hope does not disappoint us.

Does your congregation ever talk about how members can leave a gift to the church in their wills? Christians can be downright offended when someone tries to talk about money or death in church!  However, Scriptures are full of references to both death and money.

I love the Psalms, not just the poetry and beauty of the words, but the honest emotions.  I heard Psalm 112 read aloud a few weeks ago and it struck me that this Psalm talks about how generosity continues beyond the life of the donor.

If a single person at your church gives $10 weekly, in a year that’s more than the average Canadian single gives altogether. If a couple gives $100 monthly to your church, in a year that’s more than the average Canadian couple gives altogether.

If Matthew, a twenty-something male, makes an online donation to your church, what happens next? Generosity demonstrates trust. Matthew is telling you that he trusts your church enough to make a financial gift. There’s many, many voices calling for his money. He chose to give the church. That’s a big deal.

Gratitude? With the news as bad as it it, and people being stuck at home for endless months? Or not stuck at home, but working in the midst of a pandemic?

We're reminded to be thankful in all circumstances.  But sometimes our circumstances can seem overwhelming! I offer this short reminder of three things a church can always be grateful for: