| | Pacifica
Synod - ELCA 1801 Park Court Place, Bldg.
C Santa Ana, CA 92701-5010
Phone: 714-692-2791 Fax: 714-692-9317 E-mail: Office@pacificasynod.org
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Money
Matters Challenge What Truly Matters
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remember
in my first classes in Pastoral Counseling 101 and 102 how the professor
identified the major issues that most often set the stage for adverse
tension in various relationships. We learned the lists of the stressors
that led to heartache for many. We addressed the needs of couples
in pre-marriage counseling, those who were married, family members,
especially if they were partners in a business or earned their livelihood
together. We also learned about some of the |
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primary
obstacles for the members of a church council. There were several
causes that were the same for each of the relationships and among
the top reasons why conflict and tension arose among people living,
loving, working, partnering in close interaction with one another
was money, and how people reacted when there were concerns related
to money matters. Was there enough money to make ends meet? How was
or was not the money being spent and saved? Who was earning what?
Is this yours or mine or ours? There were other related issues about
the dollars earned, inherited or received. Conflict over money was
high on the lists of what causes brokenness, hurt, tension and separation
among people who are committed to one another in the ways listed above.
As I think back over the three congregational pastorates that I served
in my first 18 years of pastoral ministry, I remember two times of
deep hurt over issues around the dollar sign. One time it had to do
with broken promises regarding church finances. I also remember another
longer season of strain and stress in my ministry that involved the
leadership of the congregation. The conflict began with a disagreement
about one line item in the budget relating to staff compensation.
It should have been quickly resolved, but it moved from an issue to
personal attacks. Both of those times were painful and hurtful moments
for the congregation, the church council and the staff members. For
a while, the focus on ministry and mission was overshadowed with matters
all too mundane. It was a disruptive time in the life of the congregation
and its leadership.
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"Strive
first for the kingdom of God and God's righteousness and all these
things will be given to you as well
"
(please read
Matthew 6:19-7:8)
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Today
we are living through one of the worst economic recessions most of
us have ever experienced. For a variety of reasons, many of our congregations
have suffered financial stress and hardship. Many are reporting one
or more of the following
" There are fewer or smaller gifts in the offering plates.
" There are fewer giving units bringing their offering envelopes
to worship.
" People have left the congregation for any number of reasons.
" Members have lost their jobs.
" People have lost their homes.
" Families have moved away.
" People's income has been reduced.
" Generous givers have watched their investments shrink.
" Members have died.
" People are withholding their gifts.
There are so many reasons for the decline in giving. Many congregations
(but admittedly, not all) are reporting that they are receiving less
contributions today than they did two or three or more years ago.
At the same time prices keep rising and the cost of living increases.
Mortgages, insurance, utilities and other substantial bills continue
to be paid at the pre-recession rates. It is very difficult to make
ends meet with reduced dollars for day-to-day operations and payroll.
These are very challenging times for the leadership and membership
of those experiencing these realities.
How will we respond in the face of these hardships? My pastoral counseling
professor would say that while some people will pull together and
find a way through the challenging, difficult times, sharing the burden
and sharing the solutions together, unfortunately not all will respond
in that way. Some will react in ways that blames another, accuses
and separates. The conversation will move away from the overall issues
as people chose to personalize the issues and attack the other(s).
The end result of that approach is that more problems are heaped upon
the original problems of the financial crisis. Now more people are
leaving or abandoning the need to pull together through these difficult
days. Instead of staying together to endure the crisis, there is even
greater reason for the money problems. Now there are even fewer dollars
to meet the needs. Such a response leads to even more pain for the
community, its relationships and the individual members involved than
the original crisis over money matters.
People of God and people of faith have the gifts that are needed in
times of great stress and challenge. We have the promises of God to
walk beside us through difficult times. We have the assurance that
God, whose eye is on the sparrow and who dresses the lilies of the
field, will care for us. We have partnerships in the whole church,
which promise that we are not alone. We have faith to sustain us in
the most difficult of times. |
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There are many reasons to be hopeful during these difficult days.
At the same time, there is a great need to be faithful and respectful
and caring for all during times that put us all to the test. It is
yet another time to listen to the voice of Jesus, (again I urge us
all to read Matthew 6:19 through Matthew 7:8) who taught, "do
not worry
do not judge
ask, search, knock, strive first
for the kingdom
" |
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In
the light of Christ,
—Murray
D. Finck†, Bishop |
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More Bishop's
Journals: August 2010 -Thank
You Pastor Peterson
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