Asking for Money

Peter Jenkins in his book “A Walk Across America” tells of visiting a black Baptist Church in the South.  The service was quite different from what he was used to growing up in a New England protestant church.  When it came time for the offering, the Deacons passed the offering plate through the rows of pews.  They took the offering forward, counted it and announced that there wasn’t enough money, so they passed the offering plates again...and again for a third time until they had collected enough money to cover the church’s expenses.

Most Presbyterians are like those people Peter Jenkins visited, they don’t give until they are asked.  Sometimes it takes repeated asking.  A familiar comment from many churches is, “We can’t get enough money to cover our budget, but the money is always there when a special project needs funding.”  What's the difference?  Someone usually speaks-up for the special project.  Who "speaks-up" for your budget?

A part of Stewardship is asking members to contribute to the work of the church with their time and their talents and even their money.