A week or so back, the United Methodist News Service ran an article about giving patterns in the United Methodist Church. The report states: "During the first eight months of 2005, donations to Advance Special projects, along with other income received by UMCOR, exceeded donations to the denomination's general funds for the same period. UMCOR's total income during the period was nearly 63 million, compared to 58.5 million for the apportioned funds." Much of UMCOR's giving went to tsunami relief, funds that came in during the beginning of the year. Yet to be counted in this total is money that came in for Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. To Sandra Lackore, the chief executive of our General Council on Finance and Administration, this pattern indicates we need to adjust our current systems of giving to better encourage donations to the everyday work of the church so that the work of UMCOR can continue. On the plus side she said: "When we tell the story and when we have a message that says we can deliver what we promise people will give." That has been born out in recent days with FEMA outsourcing its some of its training and social work resources to UMCOR.
Something very similar has happened in our own Annual Conference…so far this year our Conference has given over 1.3 million dollars to UMCOR for relief efforts around the world. That figure more than doubles what had been received by this time in the previous three years. We too have responded generously to the story of God's people. Our own congregation has also given graciously and generously to the many disasters around the globe this year. I don't have all the figures added up for the giving, but do the totals of extra giving is impressive. And that does not count the school kits and flood buckets we've assembled, and as evidenced in the back hall are still assembling.
This morning, it is my given task from the Stewardship Committee to so inspire us that we'll have enough pledges come in to support next year's budget. I'm not sure I'm up to that task…but I do have a few thoughts and the above information has sparked most of them. First let me take you back a moment to a beginning and ending that is wrapped up in this morning's text from the Hebrew Scriptures. It tells the story of another river crossing. The Hebrew people having crossed the Red Sea some forty years before are now ready to cross over the Jordan River into the promised land. For forty years they had wandered, but all the time witnessing God's story for their lives unfold-the mighty Egyptians defeated, water and food when they were hungry in the wilderness, cloud and fire to guide them, laws to shape their lives. Now they are ready. The people of Israel leave behind the cobwebs of slavery, and the hardships of wilderness wandering and once again make a river crossing; once again they cross a river that parts for them. They have lived with God's mighty story guiding and keeping them. Now they walk across another river and are to begin a life as God's Chosen people.
We too live that story, with many more chapters written. God's story has continued to unfold through the Scriptures. As Christians we know the incredible story of God's love that began when a baby's cry split the night…that continued to a time when the agony of God's love tore the curtains of the temple in two…and God's love began anew with the defeat of death and hell. A major part of stewardship is responding to that incredible love…deciding how we live our lives in ways that reflect God's love for us.
The other part of stewardship is telling the story. Jesus Christ has given us life and love…and it is Jesus Christ who commissions us to go to the world and make disciples. Jesus sends us out to tell the story. As evidenced by the stories of United Methodist giving and presence in the world this year, we are telling the story, and telling it quite effectively. A gentle reminder however….at the same time we are telling the story throughout the world, we also need to remember to make sure the story can be told in our own home-this church. We've got to be just as effective at telling the story here as we are at telling the story to those great needs we have responded to in far away places. But being human, it is always more compelling to give when we see the faces of people whose lives have been turned upside down than it is to pay the electric bills here.
And friends we are the story here. A few weeks back I had a chance to hear how others see us as we hosted a conference education meeting. I heard people exclaim over our classroom facilities-how bright and inviting they were. How lucky we were to have such an opportunity. People marveled at the beauty of the library and lounge….our kitchen facilities…our sanctuary…our music program. They took note of the programs happening and the many groups that use our building. Perhaps most importantly they commented on our generous hospitality. It is difficult for those of us who have been around here a while to see all that we have been entrusted with…so it is always good to hear from groups like that. If you hang out on the back steps you'll get to hear more. You will hear how appreciative the many support groups are to have been given a home here. You will hear about the many children who come through our nursery school program. You will hear about generosity and hospitality. You will hear about youth attending a program we have-choosing that above all their other options. Paying the electric bill so the lights can turn on goes a long way in telling the story of God's love in this place. It just might not seem so dramatic.
Stewardship is our response to God's story unfolding in our lives. It is part of living our lives in proportion to the incredible love of God given in Jesus Christ. Stewardship is about struggling to define what will be important enough in our lives to give our money towards. As I make my pledge each year it is tempting to determine how much is left over, after all the bills are paid, after all the things necessary and not so necessary are bought. But I've learned I do better when I don't give from the leftovers but give in response to God's gifts to me.
And then stewardship is about making sure we can tell the story in this time, in this place. It is about being faithful to the great commission of Jesus to go to the world and make disciples. We have an incredible story to tell here. In the coming weeks may we all be faithful in reflecting on God's call upon our life so that we can be God's storytellers in the world.