A Generous Community

Written By Shawn McCain

Rez Family,

A few days ago I preached about becoming a generous community. If you missed it, check out the links below to listen or watch. There was so much more to share about how God is making us into a generous community that I couldn’t in a short sermon. So, I wanted to offer a follow-up with some of these examples, thoughts, and practices to help us continue to participate with God.

Here are a few concrete examples of how your giving is put to good work:

  • Sustained ministry in a pandemic: The pandemic has been a challenging season in so many ways and its financial impact was significant for many.

    • We committed to retaining all of our staff, even when giving was down, so that we could maintain much needed ministry in a time of need.

    • We also needed to hire technical staff and equipment in order to move our worship services and Life Together Course on-line during periods of quarantine and during a season when many people were not able to attend in person.

    • While these investments have increased our capacity for ministry with our growing church, they also contribute to the increase of the church’s monthly deficit. This is something our vestry and staff continue to discern how to thoughtfully and prayerfully address. Your giving helps us meet our budget and continue these important ministries. 

  • Family ministry is booming with children, right when we were beginning to rebuild ministry that had been so limited during the pandemic. So, we hired more help to extend our time for kids’ classes and expand our capacity until our volunteer team can be rebuilt to help support. 

  • Caring for those in need: Our benevolence ministry has, among other things, helped those in our parish experiencing hardships to pay rent and medical bills, stocked refrigerators with food, sent flowers and cards for those grieving loss, and encouraged teachers with coffee and donuts at the school where our church meets.

  • Welcoming others: Several times throughout the week our team hosts new families over lunch or coffee or provides a meal for a pastoral visit in ways that also invest in local businesses. 

  • Investing in ministry leaders: We have invested in our emerging leaders with training, resources, and ministry curacies in our parish. 

  • Supporting our mission partners: We partner with organizations in our local community and beyond that care for the welfare of others, by providing them financial and other support. For instance, we work with and support Light from Light (a relief work in Haiti), Saint Louise House (a care and housing work for abused wives and families), and most recently Refugee Services of Texas to furnish an apartment for a refugee family. You can read about some of the organizations we support here.

In these highlights of how your giving impacts ministry I hope you recognize the key role your generosity plays in sustaining our parish and extending the goodness of God to others. Our vestry and staff are very aware that we are stewards of God’s gifts through you, and we work thoughtfully to make the most of what God has given us. If you’d like for our vestry to send you a copy of the church budget, or if you have other financial questions, please email our treasurer and finance chair at finance@rezaustin.com. 

Prayerful ways to practice abundance:

  • When you are tempted to buy something that you may not need or spend more than you can afford, you might confess, “God, help me to know that in you I always have enough.”

  • If you feel fearful of giving or being generous, you might pray, “God, open my hands and help me arrange my life to depend more on you.”

  • If you’re bitter or jealous of others, you might repent, “God, forgive my distrust in you.”

  • If you struggle with vanity or false humility, you might praise, “God, all glory is yours.”

  • If you are in need and struggle with asking for help, you might pray, “God, subdue my fears and pride, that I might live more truly under your care.”

Additional follow up if you’d like to:

Let’s welcome God’s care for us as we become icons of his generosity for others.

Peace,
Shawn+

Shawn McCain
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