Weekly Clergy Letter from Mother Anne Turner

Dear Friends in Christ,

 

I will never send you an email asking you to go out and buy gift cards.  But it’s interesting to see what happens when someone else uses my name to do so.

 

Unfortunately, scammers frequently impersonate me and the other clergy.  They send phishing emails—emails intended to lure the recipient into a conversation and, eventually, some sort of financial commitment.  There is no way to stop this practice, and many other churches are similarly targeted.  You can often tell these emails by their sending address (something other than a gracealex.org address) and their poor grammar.  Trust me, if the Oxford comma is missing, the email is not from me.

 

Last week, a rash of emails went to Grace members, asking for a favor.  If you replied back, “I” told you that I wanted to give gift cards as a surprise for the staff and asked you to go out and buy some.

 

I am telling you about this incident because I don’t want you to be taken advantage of, certainly.  But I also want you to know something about this parish’s response.  It showed me that we are smart enough to catch this behavior—but also deeply generous at heart.

 

Many people got pulled into a dialogue with the scammer before realizing what was happening.  This is not a sign of foolishness but a sign of commitment.  The people of Grace Church understand that their faith requires them to step up in moments of need.  You were ready and willing to do so when you thought the need was real.  I am deeply grateful for the loyalty and readiness to serve which you displayed.

 

Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians says this: “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.”  I think your love puts to shame those who would exploit your generosity.

 

I have noted before that Grace has a “high commitment culture.”  I hope you continue to commit to this place unabashedly.  This parish and its mission need your precious time and your generous financial gifts.  This week showed me how quickly and open-heartedly you will offer them.  I hope you continue to do so.

 

Look out for the fake emails.  But don’t lose your very real generosity.

 

Yours in Christ,

Anne+