Mission and Money

Yes, it's true -- I am going to be asking you for money. But before you click quickly on to another page, muttering, "I knew he was going to get to this sooner or later; the church is always asking for money," please hear me out for a minute first. I don't want you to give anything unless you are fully convinced that this is the right thing for you to do.

First, I am not asking for myself or the needs of my congregation. I am asking on behalf of some of the poorest and most devasted people on the planet, those caught in the grip of circumstances well beyond their control, whether famine or flood, disease or disaster, economic downturn or national debt. Just as Paul collected money among the churches for the needy of Jerusalem, fellow brothers and sisters in Christ (see e.g. 2 Corinthians 8-9, the subject of our message this coming Sunday), we are collecting money for the needy of the world through the work of Presbyterian World Service and Development (PWS&D). In partnership with churches and mission organizations around the world, PWS&D is active in bringing sustainable development (health, food, water, shelter, etc.) to some of the most underdeveloped communities in the world. They are also active in bringing emergency relief to places caught up in natural disaster, like the South Pacific after the many typhoons, earthquakes and tsunamis over the past few weeks. Yes, I am asking for money, but it isn't to keep the lights or the furnace on in our little church building here in Nassagaweya. It is to bring food to the hungry, water to the thirsty, clothing to the destitute, and shelter to the homeless.

Second, if you have been following along with our current series of messages about mission, then you won't be able to escape the fact that so much of the good work people are able to do through organizations like International Justice Mission, Sleeping Children Around the World, Canadian Foodgrains Bank, World Vision, PWS&D, and so on, can only happen when people give generously to their work. We are merely trying to facilitate a collection of money at the moment to go to one of these organizations, PWS&D. If it is your practice or your plan to give to one or more of these other organizations, that's wonderful -- please give generously! If not, or if you would like to give to PWS&D as well, please consider giving to this collection this week.

This Sunday is Thanksgiving. As we give thanks for all of God's goodness and bounty to us here in this rich and abundant land, we will be collecting a special offering, over and above usual weekly givings to the church, to go to disaster relief and other pressing needs through the work of PWS&D. If you can't be with us on Sunday, you can either visit their website and donate directly (www.presbyterian.ca/donate/pwsd), or drop off your donation to the church sometime during the next two weeks.

Well, I hope you're still with me. More than that, I hope you'll consider giving generously. The need is great, yes, but we can make a difference.