N From The Pastor=s Pen

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son….”

Easter reminds us what God has given to us – and how much it cost God to do it.  Truly, there is no greater love.  It’s a love we would do well to remember and meditate on each and every day of our lives – and not just at Easter-time.  Imagine what that would mean in our relationship with God; imagine what that would mean in how we live our lives!

To remember how much God has given to us surely will affect our sense of
gratitude – and the generosity with which we respond to God.  Can we possibly be stingy, or even sparing, as we remember creation’s greatest sacrifice ever – and especially when we recall that it was all for you and me?  The answer for most Christians is a resounding “No!”

Christians are probably the most generous group of people on the earth.  And any given Christian church probably contains more willingness to give than any ten other such gatherings of people.

Presbyterians are an especially-generous lot.  I know that other denominations are often given that credit, because of their requirements to tithe – whereas most Presbyterian churches are usually just content to commend the practice.  Nonetheless, a lot of
Presbyterians do give generous and gracious proportions of their income.  The Presbyterian Church (USA) website reveals this about our giving, here at First Presbyterian Church:  “The reported average contribution per worship attendee, $2,336, was larger than the 2006 PC(USA) average, $2,018.75.”

This is a time in our church’s life when we need to rely even a bit more on this
congregation’s generosity.  You have heard of our need for more than an additional $40,000, in order to fund the 2008 budget with no more reliance on borrowing from our savings.  And you have heard of the method Session has proposed to help enable that to happen – “Miracle Sunday,” on May 4.  On Miracle Sunday, Session wants to encourage us to contribute – over and above our usual giving – the largest offering ever received on a single day.  This will amount to a total sum between $45,000 and $50,000, and will
represent an increase in giving level of some 1% of average household income.

Can we do it?  Not alone.  We can only do it by the grace of God.  So I want to ask you to join me today in a three-week prayer covenant.  In your daily devotions, will you ask God to show you how generous you might be able to be on Miracle Sunday?  And will you also ask God to enable the generosity of our entire congregation to match the need we have?

This church is thriving anew.  We have a bright future ahead.  Surely God will
enable us to reach that future, as we depend on God's grace to enable THE MIRACLE ON PARK AVENUE to occur on MIRACLE SUNDAY, MAY 4, 2008.

                       In Resurrection Joy,

           Reford

                      Your Pastor