A New Way to Give

Dear Friends in Christ,

 

Does it matter whether you put something in the offering plate?

 

To be clear, my question is not if it matters whether you give. Giving matters. A great deal. But we all give a lot of different ways, many of which are electronic and invisible. You may make periodic donations through tithe.ly, or you may have an automatic transfer set up from your bank to pay your pledge each month. Perhaps you scan the QR code in the bulletin on Sunday morning.

 

All of these gifts matter. And yet those of us who give like this discover the same thing: we miss the tangible act of putting money in the plate.

 

Our longing is no surprise, given that we are incarnational people in a sacramental religion. We trust that outward and visible signs convey and inward and spiritual grace. And so the physical act of giving alms (which is what our offerings are called, in liturgical terms) plays an important role in our spiritual well-being. It’s impractical for many of us. But we miss it.

 

Beginning a week from Sunday (Founders Day, September 28), Grace is offering a way for those of us who give online to participate more fully in the offertory. In your pews, you will see tags hanging, with the words “Bless my online giving.” You are invited to drop one in the offertory bags or alms basin.

 

These tags accomplish a couple of things. Most importantly, they feed a spiritual need to have our gifts received and blessed. They also show us (and newcomers) that giving is normative in our community.

 

This has been a long-hoped-for idea of several stewardship teams, and I am grateful to Sarah Schultz for leading the effort to make this idea a reality. I trust that it will be a blessing to you. This church has long shown the virtue of generosity, and I hope that this change will allow us to do so even more fully.

 

In Christ,
Anne+