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Oct 12, 2014

The Offering

Passage: 1 Corinthians 16:1-4

Speaker: Rev. Vivian McCarthy, Pastor

Series: Stewardship 2014

Category: Stewardship

Keywords: stewardship, offering, giving, money

Stewardship is a topic that often draws groans from congregations. Some people think it’s improper to talk about money in church. Truth is, money is part of our life together, and it’s notable that Jesus talked about money quite a bit – so stewardship as a topic in the faith family is important. It is a way for us all to say thanks and participate in God's world.

Stewardship is a topic that often draws groans from congregations. Some people think it’s improper to talk about money in church. Truth is, money is part of our life together, and it’s notable that Jesus talked about money quite a bit – so stewardship as a topic in the faith family is important.

Most organizations or groups that we belong to make clear what the “dues” are and what it costs to be part of the organization. Not so with the church. And that’s because we don’t pay dues. We make offerings. So, today I’d like to talk a little bit about the offering. Then next week we’ll be exploring what we are doing and how our offerings make ministry possible through our church.

When things changed and I needed an introductory sermon for our stewardship campaign this week, I found a really nice list of definitions for the offering in a fine sermon by Victor Pentz. I’d like to share a couple of items from that list and one of his stories with you today.

On a weekday afternoon, a pastor was leaving his office – in some despair about the condition, both spiritual and otherwise, of his congregation. He was the pastor of a large church with many and varied ministries and missions, local and global. But they had been experiencing some conflict in recent weeks – that he just couldn’t seem to help them work through. He was frustrated and feeling down.

As he left his office, he found a young, good-looking, athletic, African-American man (the pastor’s church was pretty much all White). The young man was sitting in a chair in the narthex/welcome area, reading a document. As the pastor approached, he saw that the young man was reading his sermon from the past Sunday. He asked, “May I help you?”

The young man looked up at him and said he was fine – just reading the sermon. And then he told the pastor that he, too, was a pastor of a very small congregation in town and that he came every week to read the older pastor’s sermons and look at their bulletin to see what he could learn and to be inspired. The older pastor was understandably flattered and said that the large church would be happy to send him the bulletin and sermon every week.

But the younger pastor said, “No thanks. I just love to come here and see all that God can do.”

So, first off, the offering is a way of participating in the work of God. We participate in the work of God through ministries such as having the bathrooms open for this community and offering the families and children of Reisterstown hospitality in the name of Jesus to supporting Victor Taryor in Zimbabwe. When you bring an offering to RUMC, you are playing a part, taking a role, participating in God’s work from Reisterstown around the world, and next week we will be sharing some of the ways God is at work in the lives of our faith community, so stay tuned!

I’ve always been interested in different customs. When the annual conference has hosted a Korean delegation, there is always much gift-giving. It is very important in Korean culture to honor the hosts and guests with gifts. (Show my vase.) Dinner guests often bring flowers or candy or a dish to share. Number two on Dr. Pentz’s list is a simple scripture: No one is to appear before me empty-handed – Ex. 34:20.

Thirdly, the offering is an act of simple gratitude. Consider this: our scripture today is from 1 Corinthians 16, and the chapter immediately preceding it, chapter 15, describes Christ’s sacrifice for us and expresses wonder and thanksgiving for victory over death at Easter. Chapter 16 begins, Now, brothers and sisters, concerning the offering. God has given us an amazing, indescribable gift of life – new possibility – new life when all is lost – and the response called for is an act of simple gratitude.

So, says Dr. Pentz, consider your checkbook the stationery for thank you notes to God – and in these couple of weeks in October, as we each consider what those weekly or monthly notes will say, our Intention for Giving Cards are also thank you stationery.
A sobbing little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it ‘was too crowded’. “I can’t go to Sunday School,” she sobbed to the pastor as he walked by. Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the reason and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday School class. The child was so touched that she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus.

Some two years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor tenement buildings and her parents called for the kind-hearted pastor, who had befriended their daughter, to handle the final arrangements. As her poor little body was being moved, a worn and crumpled purse was found which seemed to have been rummaged from some trash dump. Inside was found 57 cents and a note scribble in childish handwriting which read, “This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday school.”

That child intuitively understood giving an offering – and how her offering could make a difference in the spiritual lives of others. My prayer is that we will all consider how we can say thanks and participate in God’s work in the world.