Stewardship
Sustaining Our Mission
Countrysiders are a joyful and a grateful group. We spent 24 weeks examining our love of God, neighbor and self through worship and small group study from May through early October. While the economy may be in the doldrums, the corridors of Countryside are abuzz with energy and optimism about the future.
Countryside Church has a history of looking beyond the mundane toward shaping the future. Think back to our early involvement in Together, Inc. and Operation Bridge. Our vision has helped reshape the future for literally thousands of hurting people. Or consider the many ways our commitment to a vibrant music ministry, burgeoning youth programs, and profound small group ministry have helped foster creativity and compassion, and a deeper faith and sense of community among us. As many mainline churches flounder and lose members, Countryside can be proud of its vitality and the exciting new and committed members it is drawing.
Countryside’s vitality is a direct result of our commitment to heed God’s call. We have learned over the years that settling for “second best” is neither part of our basic identity and mission, nor does it lead to the strong and vibrant community life we insist upon – and benefit from – particularly when the “mountains shake and the seas roar” around us.
As was discussed in our October 11th worship service, this year in particular we need to be especially cognizant of who we are, and our commitment to excellence. Due to sizeable and unavoidable increases in our operating expenses this year, as well as our need to make ongoing improvements to our ministry to keep them vital, we are faced with a $300,000 deficit if financial commitments to the church do not increase over last year. Given our firm commitment to a balanced budget, it is imperative that we step forward vigorously to meet this financial challenge and overcome it.
To this end, your Stewardship Committee strongly encourages you to step out of your comfort zone this year and step into your joy zone. We encourage you to prayerfully consider moving into the biblical model of tithing (i.e., giving ten percent of your net income to your church). Historically, Christians and Jews have tithed in order to:
- respond to God’s biblical command
- affirm and stretch our relationship with God into higher dimensions
- affirm our relationship with each other and helping our wider community
- shape the future, assuring that a vibrant Christian community exists not just today, but tomorrow – for ourselves, our children and our children’s children
- experience the profound joy that comes from bringing their spiritual and material selves into alignment
As Dr. Elnes noted in worship, if those who are not yet ready to tithe were to increase their pledges by just one percent of their net income, Countryside would not only overcome its potential $300,000 deficit, but experience a surplus of roughly $100,000. Can you imagine what this would do to assure Countryside’s ongoing vitality and witness in the world?
We encourage you to accept the challenge – and the joy – of tithing, if you are not doing so already. Or, if you are not ready for such a commitment, we encourage you to take a step forward by increasing your commitment by one-percent or more of your net income.
Countryside Church is on an exciting journey. We are leading and are being led. We are inspiring and being inspired. Our path may include unfamiliar territory now and then, but the vistas are beckoning. Let members of Countryside Church minister to one another today as we work to extend a Christian path to coming generations.
This perspective about our church has made giving more joyful for our families than ever before. Share the joy…send in your pledge…secure the future!
Sincerely,
Mike Jones and John McCollister
