Central Lutheran Church, in the heart of the city, welcomes all people to celebrate, discover and share the love of Christ.
Stewardship Campaign, Spring 2007
Dear Family of Faith,
Over the past three weeks, you have been asked to think and pray about your “stewardship”—your faithful response to what God has entrusted to us in this life: ourselves, our time, and our financial resources. And in this first week of May, each person who claims Central Lutheran as their church home will be asked to make a written “pledge” of what they intend to give for the coming fiscal year (12 months, beginning in June). Some of you will make this written commitment; some won’t. It is truly an issue between you and God. For me personally, I find that it helps to thoughtfully and intentionally ponder all that God has blessed me with, and making a written pledge allows me the privilege of making a plan and statement of how I intend to respond!The point is: I hope you’ll give—and that you’ll give joyfully and regularly to the life and ministry of this great congregation! Without your participation, we simply will not accomplish all that we set out to do: to be an integral part of building bridges and opening doors for the cause of Christ!
Consider the following article, penned by another years ago:
“I am your church budget—through me, people find faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the church proclaims the Gospel. Through me, people are ministered to through baptism and communion. I provide Sunday School, adult classes, and youth activities and ministry…music to enrich your worship of the Lord, as well as preaching to give you insight for daily living from God’s Word. I provide pastoral services to minister to you in times of need…I heat and cool your church buildings and keep it in repair for your comfort and use…I reach out to your community, country, and to the world through ministries in Christ’s name and on your behalf….I provide assistance to church colleges and seminaries so that you and your children might have spiritual leaders in the years to come.It is through me, your church budget, that the sick find strength and the troubled are helped…through me, the bereaved are comforted…the discouraged, uplifted…and the needs of hurting people are met. I am your budget. I ask for your support that I might carry on in your behalf. With your help, and by God’s enabling power, I make possible all of these ministries. In short: I am YOU at work!”
Will you step forward in response to God’s call? Will you step up in terms of responding to the many blessings of God in your life above what you gave over these last 12 months? What will YOU help Central be and do in the coming year through your giving? The answer, in great measure, will be in what we give. Join me, will you, in generous thanks-giving?
