Greetings!
Although some seemed a little frazzled (like parents & teachers) and we were all a little wet, it was great to see so many of you in church on Sunday! How important it is for families & individuals involved in the academic year to start this season thanking God and centering our lives upon His grace. Who can’t benefit from that? This Sunday, our CRUM preschool staff including our new Director, Janice Nelson, will be with us for worship. Please join us as we share God’s hospitality and blessing with these special people who work with our kids and community.
Kids aren’t the only ones learning lessons! I believe there’s always something for Christian disciples to learn from the Bible and one another…even on such a practical subject as personal finances. John Wesley said: Earn all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can. This week I want to share a few thoughts on saving. I think Wesley might have a two-fold meaning here: 1) Save your resources…by not spending unnecessarily; 2) Save your resources…by investing compassionately and wisely. Now, the basis for “saving” money is not to hoard, that is keep for oneself or amass more and more. It is to be a steward of what God has given, all the while affirming our true worth in God’s eyes.
Because you know your life is worth more than the clothes or food you can buy, you save money when it comes to buying material things that will fade. If giving the Sermon on the Mount today (Matt 6), I think Jesus would have warned against chasing after multi-media technology that will be here today, but outdated tomorrow. How large a TV do we really need…how many cable channels are really necessary? Save all you can. While on renewal leave, Paul and I actually had one cell phone because we were never far from home. I know a family sharing one car right now to save money. There are dozens of ways to save by spending less.
Savings are not merely to satisfying our own needs, but to provide for others. First, for our own family. Previous generations may have considered the most important thing to leave an inheritance for children, but today there’s a growing obligation to take care of parents and grandparents, too. The Bible tells us to meet this obligation and care for widows with no families (1Timothy 5:4). Then, to provide for ministries of the Body of Christ in our local church and abroad (2Cor8:5). Next week, I’ll share about giving, but there are ways to “save and serve,” for example with “socially responsible” mutual funds (e.g., The United Methodist Church Foundation) and gift annuities to charities (e.g., Compassion, World Vision, or Heifer Intl).
While this may seem like just practical advice, let us hear that God calls us to be faithful in all things, not just those matters we consider “spiritual” ones. In Luke 16 Jesus asks, “So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” It’s easy to think “I don’t have any money to save or invest,” or “Only worldly people care about money.” To become wise in these matters is an act of faithful stewardship of whatever we have been given.
Peace,
Pastor Amber
8.25.10
· Pastor Amber’s Thursday morning bible study will NOT meet this week. Sorry for the misprint in the bulletin. Join us Thursday, Sept. 2nd, at 10am in the Choir Room.
· This Sunday the CRUM Preschool Staff will be joining us for worship. All Board members please remember the breakfast at 9:15 in Rudy Hall and bring your dish to share!
· Can you help? We need some “easy” work done. #1 We need someone with a weed-wacker to cut the grass in the preschool playground this weekend. #2 We need some help sorting supplies for Children’s Church e.g., pouring glue in bottles, filing papers, etc. If you can help contact Pastor Amber at church.
