“There is one act par excellence which profanes money by going directly against the law of money, an act for which money is not made…that act is giving.” - Jacques Ellul, Money and Power

This Sunday, upon which we celebrate Jesus’ transfiguration, we will be bringing pledges cards during the worship service. As part of our commitment to the life of the church more generally, we will bring forward a commitment around giving for the coming year. If you’re new to this sort of thing, it can seem odd. If you’re new to the concept of tithing or giving money to the church, it can probably seem downright crazy.

Part of the reason we make pledges and follow through with them is entirely practical. As a church community we have costs to cover related to our life and worship together. As we are more fully established as a community that embodies and demonstrates the Gospel, there is a need for financial resources. Our personal generosity contributes to the corporate generosity of the church, furthering its mission. Last Sunday we outlined some of the ways we as church leadership sense the Lord leading us to be supporting our life together, pressing into formation, and stepping out in mission. If you were there and have questions or weren’t and wanted to hear more about it, please let me know.

Beyond the practical needs, the church gives for richer reasons. We give as a response of worship for the riches we have received in Christ, who became poor for our sake (2 Cor. 8:9). In gratitude and praise, we give of what God has given us. Through Jesus we have received the fullness of God via the Holy Spirit and have been adopted into the family of God. We have access to eternal resources, and return to God out this abundance. In so doing, we defy the logic of money, predicated on scarcity, and work against its power to hold us captive. We entrust ourselves to a God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:11) and from whom all blessings flow. Giving is an act of worship, defiance and faith.

For these reasons, and in this season of the life of COTC, I encourage to prayerful discern how God might be calling you to give in the coming year. If you will be at church on Sunday, I hope you can joyfully participate with us. If you can’t be there, you can submit a pledge online here or during worship in the coming weeks. Thank you for generosity and faithful giving.

In Christ,

Peter+