Dear Family – Before I came to reside at Christ Church, I was not familiar with pledging. Before I was an active Christian, I was not familiar with the whole idea of supporting the church where I attended. I always just thought if God intended to have a church, He would support it somehow. Naive right, but I was naive in my faith.
I came through many steps of understanding in this regard. At first, I just giving a donation of some money to support the service I attended. Rather transactional. But that’s not how Jesus works. He calls us to a relationship. So, then I moved to tithing. That took time to allow me to get my finances rearranged, as my priorities had to be reordered. Then offerings got added when I was blessed. But then I encountered St. Paul.
Without guilt but in all love, Paul wrote to us about the better covenant we had by virtue of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Some things we do out of obedience. Some things we do out of fear, as a form of performance. But the best things we do, we do out of love.
I am reminded of my relationship with my earthly father. I worked very hard to obey his commands because I knew that if I was obedient, life was well for me. I followed his rules because I was concerned about punishment. But I did things for him that exceeded anything he might have asked because I loved him. He did so much for us as a family. He gave and sacrificed, even though he was so very human. But he gave his family his first and best, without blemish.
I follow Jesus Christ because I know the life I have came from Him. What I have was given to me by Him, through His blessings. There is nothing I have that He didn’t give me. And although I could just respond in some proportional gratitude, I give what I give to Him and His Bride, out of a deep love for Him.
To be part of a church, part of the body of Christ, part of His Family is to live in that relationship of love. You all probably know the scriptures that talk of our call to support Christ’s Bride and what God calls Her to do in this world. Our mission is to our community and family here. Pledging is the way we let those that lead our family plan and address the needs and calling of God in the place we live.
Prayerfully consider this need and, as we do in our relationships, make a commitment by completing a pledge. This Sunday the count begins. As the Holy Spirit leads you, make this act of worship a declaration of your commitment to this family of Christ Church. God richly bless you all.