Author: Elizabeth Mullins

Citizens of God’s kingdom take seriously our mission to love our neighbors and to share the gospel. Our calling includes the responsible management of our resources, congregationally and personally.

The intersection of mission and money in budgeting supports a church’s commitment to living out its vision. Below is an excerpt of Cara Garrity’s Equipper article, “Money Follows Values.” Read the full article here.

---

The most effective budgets begin with mission, vision, and values. What is the mission, vision, and values of the local congregation?

You may have heard it said that money follows what we value. Reflect on the budget and financial habits of the congregation. What does it reveal about what has been given value?

• • In what ways has the budget reflected the mission, vision, and values of the local congregation?
  • In what ways has the budget reflected values or priorities other than the stated mission, vision, and values of the congregation? Where did these alternative priorities come from?
  • How can the budget become better aligned with the mission, vision, and values of the congregation in the upcoming year? What needs to change for that to happen?

You may have also heard the phrase “put your money where your mouth is.” It is meant as an exhortation to align your actions with your words. Don’t just talk about it, do something about it. Prayerful budgeting is one way that we can “put our money where our mouth is” concerning our participation in Jesus’ ministry and living out the mission, vision, and values of the local congregation.

• • What are we willing to do or change so that our budget reflects our mission, vision, and values?
  • How will the annual budget support the goals of the Team Ministry Action Plan (TMAP)?
  • How will the annual budget reflect the priorities of the Faith, Hope, Love, and Pastor Avenues?
  • How do we want to communicate about church finances?

By Cara Garrity, Development Coordinator,
Lynn, Massachusetts, U.S.

 

Kingdom Living looks like trusting God as provider. It looks like generous people sharing their treasure with others. Kingdom citizens do not hoard from fear and scarcity. Read below how two congregations are trusting God with their resources.

---

Appleton, Wisconsin, U.S.

GC Appleton thanks our God of abundant provision for the resources to pay off the mortgage on our church building that has been our home since 2008. We’re grateful to have been able to use this building over the last 17 years for multiple community events, weddings, monthly community interfaith prayer gatherings, as well as our weekly worship services and church events. We’re also grateful for this building that housed our Good Neighbor Day Camp for the last three years. We praise God, and pray that God will provide guidance going forward in stewarding our funds in a way that furthers the kingdom in this neighborhood and brings God honor and glory. Amen

By Becky Deuel, Pastor
Appleton, Wisconsin, U.S.

Ferguson, Missouri, U.S.

Since 2013, GC Ferguson, in Missouri, has conducted a special offering at the end of the year, which longtime members look forward to with joy. Here are some of the best practices we have found useful.

Set a goal: A specific target with clear objectives helps people know how the year-end offering (YEO) will be used. This gives people a tangible target to pray about and to invest in personally. We often include activities we feel the Lord wants us to start or expand but could not fund through regular offerings. For example, you might need upgraded audio visual (AV) equipment or rent for a connect group at a neutral location. Our goals generally amount to 5-10% of our annual budget.

Communicate early and often: I begin reminding members about the YEO in September or October through periodic announcements so they can begin planning. I encourage members to begin setting aside funds. Using a special envelope that is dedicated to the YEO helps to build anticipation. There are two main strategies we employ:

1. 1. Proactive savings: Put aside funds to match your spending. For example, I set aside a dollar for each gallon of gas purchased. Some may prefer to put aside a few dollars each time they shop for groceries.
   2. Found money: Be on the lookout for little surprises from our heavenly Father. We all occasionally receive money that was unexpected: a gift for no reason, a rebate, a discount, or perhaps a bill that was much lower than we budgeted.

I include reminders to members during offering messages or announcements and through emails. This builds anticipation as we see the Lord providing for the YEO.

Special appeal to co-laborers of the gospel: Share your needs and invite them to share in the joy of meeting these needs. Encourage them to respond by the end of the year and include the ways they can send gifts — text, online, cash apps, regular mail. GC Ferguson supplies a return envelope for their convenience.

Set a date for the in-service offering: Joy is increased by having a specific date to receive the offering. We traditionally set the third Sunday in December to receive the offering during the worship service in addition to the regular weekly offering.

Celebrate the results: I share the results as they come in, which adds to the joy of giving. We have a final tally only after mail offerings arrive in early January. Members are always excited to see how the Father, Son, and Spirit meet these special needs through them.

By Karl Reinagel, Pastor
Ferguson, Missouri, U.S.

 

Do you know what a white rainbow is? Better yet, have you seen one? I haven’t, and I only just learned that they even exist.

White rainbows are sometimes called fogbows. They are like rainbows — light entering water at just the right angle. But the droplets of fog are about 100 times smaller than drops of rain. Because the droplets are so tiny, most of the light is scattered rather than refracted as in a rainbow. As a result, the colours are washed out, leaving a white rainbow.

The combination of light and water and its effect got me to thinking of Jesus as the Light of the world, flowing to and through us.

All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it. John 1:3–5 NRSVUE

Neither the rainbow nor the fogbow would exist without the sun (in our case, the Son). We are blessed to live in a constant state of being receivers. We easily forget this and think of ourselves as being doers.

We are God’s children (his drops or droplets), and we receive and reflect his light. In both Ezekiel and Revelation, we find references to the glory of the Lord described as a rainbow. Consider the beauty and glory of God’s determination to finish the work he has started in each of us. I may never see a rainbow again (or a fogbow, if I’m lucky) without thinking of the rainbow beauty of God’s life that he shares with and through me.

Prayer
Jesus, thank you for being our light. Spirit, empower us to refract the beauty of God’s love out to others. Amen.

By Ruth Matthews (1951 – 2023)

Adapted from the full article written in 2023.