Sunday, 4th November 2007 : Pentecost 23 : Year C
9:30am Westfield
Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4 : 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 : Luke 19:1-10
We might recognise that as a complete rip-off of the opening to the second letter to the Christian community in Thessalonika …
But the reason I lifted it is because it fits perfectly with our Parish. Among the many blessings the Living God has showered upon us is a growing faith and genuine, observable love for one another, as well as a remarkable steadfastness that sees us continuing God’s work into our twenty-third year.
Perhaps our afflictions and persecutions are not quite as physically life-threatening as those the Thessalonians likely encountered and endured.
But they are real nevertheless – afflictions of financial shortfall and struggle; persecutions or perceived persecutions from ecclesiastical bureaucracy demanding financial compensations or reasons or both.
Those bureaucratic demands are not gratuitous – nor is Westfield alone in facing them: other parishes have similar – and greater – issues with which to contend.
Nevertheless, we, as God’s people in this particular part of Westfield, need to reckon up the balance sheet of faith and blessings and address the issue raised in the pewsheet – namely the shortfall in pledges.
Pledges are the amount of weekly, monthly or annual offering we promised when we received our envelopes. We need to remember that we promised this offering to God – not primarily to a parish or institution or priest – but to the Living God.
And we made the promises based on prayerful reflection and consideration of God’s own blessings to us individually.
A moment ago we heard Zacchaeus promise to give half his income to the poor and to recompense anyone he’d defrauded fourfold. The Greek text is actually written in the present tense so it is likely Zacchaeus was already do what he promised.
Either way, what if he went back on that promise? What would that imply about him or his faith or his trustworthiness?
These are the same sorts of questions we need to ask ourselves as well. What we promise to offer for God’s work in our Parish represents first a thank offering that recognises God’s blessings to us. We are saying, Thank you, Lord, for your blessings. I now return those blessings so that my Parish may be a blessing to others.
And as part of our responsible economy of God’s blessings we prayerfully decide what is enough and make sure it is not too much. While God and Parish Treasurers may desire a certain sacrificial generosity in our offerings, God at least doesn’t want anyone to starve or have their electricity or phone disconnected! (I should hasten to add that our own Treasurer doesn’t want that to happen either.)
So if we promise to offer God, say, $10 a week, then our faith tells us clearly and unambiguously that this is the amount we need to set aside for God before anything else. When that doesn’t happen – when we promise God $10 a week and only hand over $5 – then we have a few problems to wrestle with.
First is the question of faith and trust in God. We all know what it’s like when someone promises to do something and then doesn’t follow through. We feel hurt, maybe even betrayed or angry. It becomes an indication that the person who broke their promise really doesn’t hold us in any esteem.
God, fortunately, is infinitely forgiving and handles these matters far better than most of us seem to. But God’s sadness at broken promises of any kind arises from what it actually sez about our faith and trust in God.
At the entirely mundane level we need to understand that among the Treasurer’s many responsibilities is that of making budgets and forecasts. The Treasurer does that on the basis of what we tell him we are intending to offer to God.
If, however, our offering is less than what we promised then something happens that Treasurers in every time and place abhor – their books don’t balance! And when a Treasurer’s books don’t balance Treasurer’s start weeping, groaning and gnashing their teeth – and I can assure you this is not a pretty sight!
Fortunately, even Treasurers know that circumstances change for the worse. That’s okay – provided we let the Treasurer know that because of those changed circumstances we can’t offer as much as we originally promised.
I’ve recently resigned my chaplaincy at the Mount Hospital. My stipend won’t be as much as it was. I will be writing a note to the Treasurer explaining that because of my reduced stipend my offering to God will also be reduced. I will slip that note into my envelope in a week or two, or maybe put it in an envelope with my envelope number on it. Either way the Treasurer will know that the offering from the holder of envelope number XX is going to be reduced.
The Treasurer can then recalculate his budget and forecasts. He won’t necessarily sing Alleluia! at having to do so – but at least he won’t have unbalanced books …
Likewise, when I secure another position and my stipend or income increases I will revise my offering to God accordingly. I will let the Treasurer know that envelope number XX’s offering to God will increase. And this time the Treasurer may well sing Alleluia!
This is one the great virtues and values of having our envelope system. It’s completely anonymous and it allows us to communicate with the Treasurer when things do change.
It also allows us to put aside our offering to God in advance, so that if we go away for a while we can still ensure that what we promised God is always offered exactly according to our promise.
At the last Parish Council meeting the Treasurer wept, groaned and gnashed his teeth because what we had promised to offer to God was more than we were ACTUALLY offering to God. I doubt if God’s blessings have decreased – but it may be that our circumstances have changed for the worse. If that’s the case, let the poor man know!
If it’s complexly a matter of trust and faith, that’s slightly more difficult – but not insurmountable. Perhaps it is only a matter of remembering that if we have promised to offer to God a thank offering for God’s blessings then of course we expect ourselves to honour that promise – just as we would expect anyone else to honour any other promise they made to us.
Let’s pray.
Loving and generous God
Your blessings fill our lives to overflowing.
Help us always to use those blessings
so that we in turn may be a blessing to others.
Help us to remember also that what we offer to you
we offer in faith, trusting your promise
to look after us in every single circumstance.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son our Lord. Amen.
9:30am Westfield
Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4 : 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 : Luke 19:1-10
Alistair and Parish Council,
To the Westfield Anglican Parish of the Holy Spirit in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of everyone of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith during all your persecutions and the afflictions that you are enduring.
We might recognise that as a complete rip-off of the opening to the second letter to the Christian community in Thessalonika …
But the reason I lifted it is because it fits perfectly with our Parish. Among the many blessings the Living God has showered upon us is a growing faith and genuine, observable love for one another, as well as a remarkable steadfastness that sees us continuing God’s work into our twenty-third year.
Perhaps our afflictions and persecutions are not quite as physically life-threatening as those the Thessalonians likely encountered and endured.
But they are real nevertheless – afflictions of financial shortfall and struggle; persecutions or perceived persecutions from ecclesiastical bureaucracy demanding financial compensations or reasons or both.
Those bureaucratic demands are not gratuitous – nor is Westfield alone in facing them: other parishes have similar – and greater – issues with which to contend.
Nevertheless, we, as God’s people in this particular part of Westfield, need to reckon up the balance sheet of faith and blessings and address the issue raised in the pewsheet – namely the shortfall in pledges.
Pledges are the amount of weekly, monthly or annual offering we promised when we received our envelopes. We need to remember that we promised this offering to God – not primarily to a parish or institution or priest – but to the Living God.
And we made the promises based on prayerful reflection and consideration of God’s own blessings to us individually.
A moment ago we heard Zacchaeus promise to give half his income to the poor and to recompense anyone he’d defrauded fourfold. The Greek text is actually written in the present tense so it is likely Zacchaeus was already do what he promised.
Either way, what if he went back on that promise? What would that imply about him or his faith or his trustworthiness?
These are the same sorts of questions we need to ask ourselves as well. What we promise to offer for God’s work in our Parish represents first a thank offering that recognises God’s blessings to us. We are saying, Thank you, Lord, for your blessings. I now return those blessings so that my Parish may be a blessing to others.
And as part of our responsible economy of God’s blessings we prayerfully decide what is enough and make sure it is not too much. While God and Parish Treasurers may desire a certain sacrificial generosity in our offerings, God at least doesn’t want anyone to starve or have their electricity or phone disconnected! (I should hasten to add that our own Treasurer doesn’t want that to happen either.)
So if we promise to offer God, say, $10 a week, then our faith tells us clearly and unambiguously that this is the amount we need to set aside for God before anything else. When that doesn’t happen – when we promise God $10 a week and only hand over $5 – then we have a few problems to wrestle with.
First is the question of faith and trust in God. We all know what it’s like when someone promises to do something and then doesn’t follow through. We feel hurt, maybe even betrayed or angry. It becomes an indication that the person who broke their promise really doesn’t hold us in any esteem.
God, fortunately, is infinitely forgiving and handles these matters far better than most of us seem to. But God’s sadness at broken promises of any kind arises from what it actually sez about our faith and trust in God.
At the entirely mundane level we need to understand that among the Treasurer’s many responsibilities is that of making budgets and forecasts. The Treasurer does that on the basis of what we tell him we are intending to offer to God.
If, however, our offering is less than what we promised then something happens that Treasurers in every time and place abhor – their books don’t balance! And when a Treasurer’s books don’t balance Treasurer’s start weeping, groaning and gnashing their teeth – and I can assure you this is not a pretty sight!
Fortunately, even Treasurers know that circumstances change for the worse. That’s okay – provided we let the Treasurer know that because of those changed circumstances we can’t offer as much as we originally promised.
I’ve recently resigned my chaplaincy at the Mount Hospital. My stipend won’t be as much as it was. I will be writing a note to the Treasurer explaining that because of my reduced stipend my offering to God will also be reduced. I will slip that note into my envelope in a week or two, or maybe put it in an envelope with my envelope number on it. Either way the Treasurer will know that the offering from the holder of envelope number XX is going to be reduced.
The Treasurer can then recalculate his budget and forecasts. He won’t necessarily sing Alleluia! at having to do so – but at least he won’t have unbalanced books …
Likewise, when I secure another position and my stipend or income increases I will revise my offering to God accordingly. I will let the Treasurer know that envelope number XX’s offering to God will increase. And this time the Treasurer may well sing Alleluia!
This is one the great virtues and values of having our envelope system. It’s completely anonymous and it allows us to communicate with the Treasurer when things do change.
It also allows us to put aside our offering to God in advance, so that if we go away for a while we can still ensure that what we promised God is always offered exactly according to our promise.
At the last Parish Council meeting the Treasurer wept, groaned and gnashed his teeth because what we had promised to offer to God was more than we were ACTUALLY offering to God. I doubt if God’s blessings have decreased – but it may be that our circumstances have changed for the worse. If that’s the case, let the poor man know!
If it’s complexly a matter of trust and faith, that’s slightly more difficult – but not insurmountable. Perhaps it is only a matter of remembering that if we have promised to offer to God a thank offering for God’s blessings then of course we expect ourselves to honour that promise – just as we would expect anyone else to honour any other promise they made to us.
Let’s pray.
Loving and generous God
Your blessings fill our lives to overflowing.
Help us always to use those blessings
so that we in turn may be a blessing to others.
Help us to remember also that what we offer to you
we offer in faith, trusting your promise
to look after us in every single circumstance.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son our Lord. Amen.
