I know I’m dating myself again but maybe one or two of you will recognize that title as one of the rock group Supertramp’s hits from way back in 1977. So why is this song suddenly running through my head? Well, I’m glad you asked!
I just finished submitting our Rainbow Covenant Report to Annual Conference detailing our 2016 missional giving and when I totaled up all the ways and all the organizations we supported this past year…well, I just had to share the details and also say to each of you,
“Well Done!”
Our giving begins with our apportionments to the greater church. Several years ago we decided we would pay these in full as a sign not only of our commitment to The United Methodist Church but also in gratitude for who we are as a local congregation. In 2016 our apportionments were $29,304 and I am happy to tell you that once again we paid them in full. Not only that, we paid our $110 Southeast District apportionment.
But our giving went way beyond simply paying our apportionments. Thanks in part to our Card Ministry and our annual Cookie Walk we were able to support a wide variety of local and international organizations. In 2016 we gifted the following;
South Shore Regional Interfaith, The Southeast Covenant Association (they brought us the interfaith picnic last September), The Bay View Community Center as well as its Food Pantry, The Divine Intervention Overnight Shelter program housed at Tippecanoe Presbyterian Church; The Arts & Science Literacy Camp (their children sang at our Cookie Walk), Northcott Neighborhood House, United Methodist Children’s Services, Lake Lucerne Camp & Retreat Center, The Imagine No Malaria campaign, Heifer Project International (our children led us on this one!), The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). We also renewed our commitment to The Stains Memorial Children’s Home in India. Finally, we took sixty school kits to Annual Conference as part of their In-Gathering and raised money for three special Sundays; One Great hour of Sharing, Peace with Justice Sunday and Native-American Ministries Sunday. We also gifted Zao, Rev. Jonah Holm’s new church plant in the Riverwest neighborhood.
All together our missional giving exceeded $35,000 dollars! How did that happen? First by your commitment to pledge to our apportionments and also your response to all the many giving opportunities that come to us throughout the year. Isn’t it amazing what can happen when everyone Gives a Little Bit! Amen!
Pastor Andy