You can see the Slideshow presentation that was recently shown in the Church Hall here
Being in Love
Philip was madly
in love with Paula the young lady he eventually married. Nothing was too good for Paula and the
presents for Christmas and Birthdays were the best that he could afford,
especially chosen and specially wrapped. One expression of his love for Paula
was to be found in the gifts he gave her.
That expression of love was brought to mind when I was thinking about
Christian giving and how we should respond to God.
I think that you will agree that Christians would claim to love God. We proclaim that love in many ways, for example in our hymns: “I love you, Lord, and lift my voice to worship you.” Sometimes we are bold enough to confess how much that love should cost us: “Were the whole realm of nature mine that were an offering far too small, love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.” We also proclaim in song just how much God loves us. “Jesus, Thou art all compassion, pure unbounded love Thou art; visit us with Thy salvation, enter every trembling heart. You will have favourite hymns to replace the hymns which I have selected and which will have a deep meaning for you and express the same responses to God. But I have a question to ask you as you read this. What is the tangible evidence of your love for God and does it match that evidence shown by Philip?
If we are Christians then we have to live up to the promises we make and God’s plans for us. The Bible makes it abundantly clear what God expects. We are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbour as ourselves (Matt 22:37-40). Now this is not a soppy, sentimental type of love, being off your food, butterflies in the stomach and living in a world of your own, but I would guess that some of you have experienced these emotions. The love of which the Bible speaks is tangible and pragmatic. It finds expression in ways that reflect God’s love towards us. It is sacrificial, it is generous, it is time consuming, it is joyous – it is Christ-like.
Philip confessed that he loved Paula but we might have thought this profession a bit thin if there was no tangible evidence to back up his claim. He expressed that love in practical ways that the rest of the world could see. Ultimately he bought Paula an engagement ring which signified, to all who saw it, their love for each other. There was positive proof of their love for each other.
Now we all know that human relations are not perfect. Everyone experiences ups and downs in their relationships with all the people they love but love can and does cope with life as it is with its inevitable changes and its good times and bad times. Another quality of love is that it endures.
I would guess that we are most generous to the people we love and who we care for. At Christmas many parents spend large amounts on the presents for their children, sometimes more than they can afford because they love them and want them to have the best. I wonder if this is the kind of love that you have for your Father in heaven. Is there actual tangible proof of your love and is it generous, joyous, sacrificial and enduring? And if not why not?
Ah! I hear some cry but giving money in whichever way is not the only means of expressing my love for God. And you would be right of course. You can and should do many good deeds of kindness. But if someone said that they loved you and wanted to spend all their time with you but would not share their income with you what would you think? I guess that you and your closest friends might be somewhat sceptical? So it is with our relationship with God. We cannot claim to love God and not share our income with Him in a generous, joyous, sacrificial and enduring way.
Philip and Paula now have two children and their expression of love for one another has had to change as their situation has changed. Life and love do not stand still. This has also to be true of how we express our love for God. We need to continue to grow in our faith, and that growth should be reflected in how we share what we have been blessed with- it needs review from time to time.
Giving in Grace gives us a chance and the challenge to return to, or perhaps for the first time to develop that first flush of enthusiastic, uninhibited, contagious love and practically and privately respond to God’s love with our money.
I think that you will agree that Christians would claim to love God. We proclaim that love in many ways, for example in our hymns: “I love you, Lord, and lift my voice to worship you.” Sometimes we are bold enough to confess how much that love should cost us: “Were the whole realm of nature mine that were an offering far too small, love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.” We also proclaim in song just how much God loves us. “Jesus, Thou art all compassion, pure unbounded love Thou art; visit us with Thy salvation, enter every trembling heart. You will have favourite hymns to replace the hymns which I have selected and which will have a deep meaning for you and express the same responses to God. But I have a question to ask you as you read this. What is the tangible evidence of your love for God and does it match that evidence shown by Philip?
If we are Christians then we have to live up to the promises we make and God’s plans for us. The Bible makes it abundantly clear what God expects. We are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbour as ourselves (Matt 22:37-40). Now this is not a soppy, sentimental type of love, being off your food, butterflies in the stomach and living in a world of your own, but I would guess that some of you have experienced these emotions. The love of which the Bible speaks is tangible and pragmatic. It finds expression in ways that reflect God’s love towards us. It is sacrificial, it is generous, it is time consuming, it is joyous – it is Christ-like.
Philip confessed that he loved Paula but we might have thought this profession a bit thin if there was no tangible evidence to back up his claim. He expressed that love in practical ways that the rest of the world could see. Ultimately he bought Paula an engagement ring which signified, to all who saw it, their love for each other. There was positive proof of their love for each other.
Now we all know that human relations are not perfect. Everyone experiences ups and downs in their relationships with all the people they love but love can and does cope with life as it is with its inevitable changes and its good times and bad times. Another quality of love is that it endures.
I would guess that we are most generous to the people we love and who we care for. At Christmas many parents spend large amounts on the presents for their children, sometimes more than they can afford because they love them and want them to have the best. I wonder if this is the kind of love that you have for your Father in heaven. Is there actual tangible proof of your love and is it generous, joyous, sacrificial and enduring? And if not why not?
Ah! I hear some cry but giving money in whichever way is not the only means of expressing my love for God. And you would be right of course. You can and should do many good deeds of kindness. But if someone said that they loved you and wanted to spend all their time with you but would not share their income with you what would you think? I guess that you and your closest friends might be somewhat sceptical? So it is with our relationship with God. We cannot claim to love God and not share our income with Him in a generous, joyous, sacrificial and enduring way.
Philip and Paula now have two children and their expression of love for one another has had to change as their situation has changed. Life and love do not stand still. This has also to be true of how we express our love for God. We need to continue to grow in our faith, and that growth should be reflected in how we share what we have been blessed with- it needs review from time to time.
Giving in Grace gives us a chance and the challenge to return to, or perhaps for the first time to develop that first flush of enthusiastic, uninhibited, contagious love and practically and privately respond to God’s love with our money.
What's Coming
You have heard a lot of little bits about Giving in Grace over the last six or more months and that was so that the small team that have been working on this programme could get to the place where we are ready to run with it.
On January 16th our preaching will move from the entry of Joseph and family into the land of Goshen to the events of the Exodus of well over 1,000,000 from Egypt. They wanted to go and worship God without the oppression of slavery but Pharaoh would not let them go. Maybe they were too valuable as a workforce or that he simply was not going to be told what to do.
Through Moses, a Hebrew child, who was to grow up in Pharaoh’s household, Israel is finally released. They had been protected from many of the plagues and left Egypt with families and livestock intact and with what appears to be compensation for the years of slavery. This is just the background to Giving in Grace which is a Stewardship campaign originating in the diocese of Liverpool and successfully run by many churches, even some in Jersey. It will encourage us to see our lives as Christians in response to the immeasurable goodness of God in sending Jesus to be our Saviour. Just as the Israelites were sent into freedom with far more than they could have ever imagined, so have we.
Giving in Grace is about our response to God’s goodness. Yes we will be talking about money and that is important because it provides us with what we need to maintain our mission and ministry. But we will also be asking you what gifts, talents and abilities you have that might help things run smoother at church with more sharing of the workload. Also looking at those who cannot necessarily do more or give more and see how perhaps they can be involved in prayer or simple support ministries. There will be something for everyone and also opportunities to have a look at what a busy church we are. Please don’t keep your heads down and hope it will soon pass, get involved and enjoy this exciting programme.
Vicarmike
Below are the Study & Preaching themes & readings. Click on a reading to open the verse in a new window.
On January 16th our preaching will move from the entry of Joseph and family into the land of Goshen to the events of the Exodus of well over 1,000,000 from Egypt. They wanted to go and worship God without the oppression of slavery but Pharaoh would not let them go. Maybe they were too valuable as a workforce or that he simply was not going to be told what to do.
Through Moses, a Hebrew child, who was to grow up in Pharaoh’s household, Israel is finally released. They had been protected from many of the plagues and left Egypt with families and livestock intact and with what appears to be compensation for the years of slavery. This is just the background to Giving in Grace which is a Stewardship campaign originating in the diocese of Liverpool and successfully run by many churches, even some in Jersey. It will encourage us to see our lives as Christians in response to the immeasurable goodness of God in sending Jesus to be our Saviour. Just as the Israelites were sent into freedom with far more than they could have ever imagined, so have we.
Giving in Grace is about our response to God’s goodness. Yes we will be talking about money and that is important because it provides us with what we need to maintain our mission and ministry. But we will also be asking you what gifts, talents and abilities you have that might help things run smoother at church with more sharing of the workload. Also looking at those who cannot necessarily do more or give more and see how perhaps they can be involved in prayer or simple support ministries. There will be something for everyone and also opportunities to have a look at what a busy church we are. Please don’t keep your heads down and hope it will soon pass, get involved and enjoy this exciting programme.
Vicarmike
Below are the Study & Preaching themes & readings. Click on a reading to open the verse in a new window.
Week / Sunday
1 / 16th January 2 / 23rd January 3 / 30th January 4 / 6th February 5 / 13th February 6 / 20th February 7 / 6th March |
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Giving in Grace Prayer
Heavenly Father give grace to us, the living stones who form your Church, to reflect prayerfully at this special time on our love for You and our neighbour. Make us mindful of the many gifts You bestow upon us and we ask that your Holy Spirit will inspire and direct us in our choice of giving remembering that we are only giving back that which is truly yours. Strengthen us Lord to meet this challenge according to your will.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord who has given all that we may live.
Amen
Through Jesus Christ our Lord who has given all that we may live.
Amen
Please pray for the Giving in Grace initiative at St Andrew’s:
- That it will lead our church in the knowledge and practice of Christian giving as an act of worship and thanksgiving in response to God's love and overwhelming generosity.
- That it will meet each of us where we are on our own personal spiritual journeys, and teach us how to show God’s love in action by our giving for His world and His church.
- That it will help us to meet the needs, both spiritual and financial, of our church, and help our church to meet the needs of our community.
- For wisdom, sensitivity and guidance for all those preparing to lead the material in our housegroups, those who will be leading services and those who will be preaching.
“Just as you excel in all things
—in faith, speech, knowledge in utmost eagerness and in love for you--
so we want you to excel also in this grace of giving”
2 Corinthians 8:7
—in faith, speech, knowledge in utmost eagerness and in love for you--
so we want you to excel also in this grace of giving”
2 Corinthians 8:7
In the new year all the House / Study groups will be following the Giving in Grace material.
There are one or more new housegroups starting in the new year. If you are interested in joining or hosting one please speak VicarMike
There are one or more new housegroups starting in the new year. If you are interested in joining or hosting one please speak VicarMike