In life, some things just go well together. Take foods, for example. Chips and salsa. Rice and beans. Hamburgers and French fries. Collards and cornbread. Steak and potatoes. Peas and carrots. (I never really liked that last one, but as a longtime fan of Forrest Gump I felt compelled to leave it in.) Feel free to insert your own favorite here.
Other things go together as a function of cause and effect. Effort and progress. Stress and high blood pressure. Exercise and better health. Unrealistic expectations and frustration. Values and commitments. These dyads, and hundreds more, are pretty much immutable. Let me take a few minutes and talk a little about that last one.
What we truly care about, we invest ourselves in. That’s why wealthy donors give millions to a college football program in order to sit a sky box for a combined 24 hours or so each year. It is why families save or borrow to send their kids to college. It’s why Lisa and three of her friends meet to workout at five in the blessed AM three days a week. If you care enough, you commit. Let me see your calendar and your checkbook, and I’ll tell you what really care about. It’s that values and commitment thing. They just go together.
“What we truly care about, we invest ourselves in.”
This week, I am proud that our church committed to a daunting, but doable ministry spending plan of 1.13 million dollars. Thanks to the wonderful team of eight that constructed it, the 78 folks who have registered your pledges, and to the hundreds of you whose faithful giving will make this goal a reality. I will not be surprised when we reach and exceed that goal, not because I know anything about your pocketbooks, but because I believe I know your hearts. You care about this church and God’s Kingdom work accomplished through it. Lisa and I share that heart. That is why we have pledged above a ten percent tithe to budget, and an additional third of a tithe to missions. Yes, we are at an age and stage in life where we can more easily do that. But we have done it when we weren’t, and God never let us down. Our values are the real reason for our commitment. They just go together. Yours do too.
A second area where your church is asking for your commitment is in the care of our preschoolers during worship. We have been very slow to reach the modest staffing level we need to reengage fully on Sunday mornings. You have covered VBS on necessarily short notice. I know your heart and your history of intergenerational ministry done so well. Most of our Sunday School spots are filled as we anticipate returning soon. So, I must believe we have not done a good enough job in communicating just what we need from our people. Let me try then, as they say in the African American church, to “Make it plain.”
In a congregation of a few hundred people, we need a total of 72 folks to say, “you can count on me for one hour every six weeks to love on and care for a child ages birth through 5.” We can figure out the when and the what age after we know we have enough people to go forward. We value these children. We value time with them to tell them they are loved by Jesus and by this church. We value worship and the opportunity to help parents and older children experience it more fully. And with two services, no one has to miss worshipping to serve.
“We value these children. We value time with them to tell them they are loved by Jesus and by this church. We value worship and the opportunity to help parents and older children experience it more fully.”
In your nearly six months as your pastor, so much has pleased me. Not much has surprised me; but this one has. That’s why I want you to hear clearly what we are asking. And know that we are asking because it is a values-driven need. Again, a total of 72 one-hour spots need to be filled over a six-week period. (Big thanks to those who have already signed on! Your willingness to serve means that we have only 36 open spots left to fill.) I am personally and pastorally asking those who are able and haven’t already to say, “I’m good for one of those hours.” Actually, I’d like you to say that because this is valuable, I am committed. When those two things go together, the answer becomes a lot easier to give.
So, call it in. Text or email it to Berg. Use the link below. Smoke signals and carrier pigeons work too, if that’s your thing. I’d like to believe we can hear from number 72 by Sunday. We are looking and listening. Your pastor and our children thank you.