Honor God with everything you own; Give God the first and best.
Proverbs 3:9—The Message
 
“Can 21st Century Christians learn to give what’s right,
instead of what’s left?”
Rev. Wayne Burnett
 
 
“I give when I get a chance,” is the response of my young adult children to my questions about their giving to the church.  I am tempted to lecture, but then I remember myself at their age with part-time jobs and student bills.  I remember thinking: I’ll give more when I have more, when I have a real job, when I am more settled.  But I didn’t acquire a regular pattern of giving until Tom and I joined our finances at our marriage.  Tom taught me the spiritual habit of giving.
 
One aspect of that habit of giving is to first give a portion back to God of whatever income we receive.  The amount of the income is not the issue; recognizing God’s provision first is the issue.  It is called the First Fruits principle and it is rooted in the Biblical practice of giving back to God a portion of the harvest.  What was given was not just any portion, but it was the first and best of the produce given to honor God.  God deserved more than the leftovers.
 
What was true in Bible times is true today.  God deserves more than our leftovers.  But hear this: I want to encourage you to take on the spiritual habit of giving for you—not only for God’s sake.  To learn to make a commitment and to give regularly to the church enriches life.
 
It is a practice that keeps God in our lives and in our budget.  It calls us to deeper and deeper trust in God’s provision.  It invites us to be good stewards of our resources.
 

Growing with you in the habit of giving.

 
 

  In late August, we help our son Joel, our youngest, pack up and move to Albion College.  He is beginning his senior year; Tom & I are beginning to learn to live as empty nesters.  This September marks an ending, but it also marks the re-start of a new adventure, for him and for us.
 
September marks a time of new beginnings for our congregation as well.  Children, youth, and adults will enter Sunday School classes constituted anew after summer’s break.  The vocal, bell and chime choirs will begin practices.  Welcomed Wednesdays begins on September 12.  The junior and senior high youth fellowships will meet Sunday nights starting September 9 with a new Director of Youth Ministries.
 
September marks the start of a new sermon series on Spiritual Habits which invites us all on a journey of spiritual growth.  Small group meetings which begin the week of September 9 will be a place to talk about the topic of the week.  I urge you to pray about joining a small group for ten weeks.
 
Another new beginning is the decision to purchase the two properties on 9th Street closest to the parking lot.  The congregation will be invited to give or pledge to “Investing in Our Future: Property Purchase Campaign.”
 
The Book of Revelation reminds us of the God who is with us in all seasons: ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end’ says the Lord God who is and was and is to come, the Almighty.  (Revelation 1:8)
 
I look forward to seeing you this fall for a time of beginnings.

Investing in Our Future
 
By a vote of 58 in favor and with 8 opposed, the Church Conference decided to purchase the properties at 94 & 98 W. 9th St. at a total cost of not more than $170,850.
 
Rev. Susan Hagans presided at the conference which was held Sunday, August 19.  The conference unanimously authorized three other actions:
1. To use $80,000 from the Senior Pastor parsonage escrow account toward the purchase and demolition costs.
2. To secure a mortgage for $99,100 or less for the purchase and related costs.
3. Elected a Building and Land Use Committee to study, review and propose a plan for parking, for landscaping and for the 9th St. entrance.  Elected to the committee were: Larry Barrett, Jeff De Moss, Sharen Dinkins, Kent & Mary Jagnow, Bruce Rabe and David Whipple.  Ex-officio members: Dale Flowerday, Trustees representative and Pastor Lynn Pier-Fitzgerald.
 
In September, the congregation will be asked to give and/or pledge to the ‘Investing in Our Future’ campaign to support the property purchase and so invest in our congregation’s future.
 
We have prayerfully stepped forward, and we trust the generosity and faithfulness of our congregation in supporting this decision.
Pastor Lynn Pier-Fitzgerald
 

 

Small Groups

 
John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Movement, believed that participation in a small group of spiritual growth was a means of grace.  For Wesley, a means of grace was a way to connect with God, a way to experience the grace of Jesus Christ, and a way to be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.  This fall we invite you to join a small group so that you may receive this “means of grace.”
 
Through small group participation you will meet new church friends, view a DVD with words of Christian challenge and encouragement, and have the opportunity to share and ask questions with others.
 
Our vision is to start eleven new small groups in September.  Please give this means of grace prayerful consideration.  Make this a time for beginnings.  Sign ups are on the bulletin board in back of the sanctuary.  Each group has a separate sheet.
 

  Two events have converged to allow our congregation to obtain property adjacent to our parking lot.
 
1. Two houses on 9th Street to the west of our parking lot are for sale; the owners have accepted offers from our Trustees at mutually agreeable prices.  The offers are contingent on the approval of a usage and a financing plan by both the United Methodist District (Board of Building and Church Location) and our congregation at a Church Conference.
2. By the action of our Annual Conference, our church has been released from the requirement of holding the funds from the sale of the Senior Pastor’s parsonage in an escrow fund.  The United Methodist Discipline does require that the funds be used for capital purposes.
 
My vision and that of the Trustees is that this is the proper time to acquire this property.
 
1. It is an investment in our congregation’s future.  The housing market status is of benefit to us at this time.
2. It allows us to take charge of future use of the property adjacent to us on a busy street.
3. It opens the door to possible redevelopment of our parking and welcoming facilities.
A Task Force of members of the Trustees and Finance Committees will do further research and develop a plan to finance the purchase of the homes.  I recommend that we use one-half of the parsonage escrow fund to help finance the property purchases and take out a loan for the remainder of the cost.  A capital campaign would invite the congregation to give to the purchase of this property.  The other half of the escrow fund may be retrained for future capital improvement.
 I also recommend that a Building and Land Use Committee be elected to shepherd the creation of a design for improved parking and welcoming space and how the new property and the undeveloped property can best be used.
 I believe that the purchase of these two houses opens doors for our congregation.  It provides options for us and for the congregation’s future.  I believe this is a risk and an opportunity that God has placed before us.  I trust we will prayerfully and confidently step forward.