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Dear Beloved People of Lord of Life,
As I celebrate 25 years of ordained ministry, my heart is filled with gratitude for the many people who have been a part of this adventurous journey and who have shaped me in faith and pastoral ministry. I also hold deep appreciation for the people who have taught and who continue to teach me about the joy of generosity.
My first teachers were my parents who modeled generosity in a variety of ways. My mother was the daughter of immigrants, and my father grew up on a farm and so money was often tight. As adults, they modeled generosity with their time and talents which they shared in the church and in the local community. While I knew that they consistently and intentionally gave financially back to God, we never talked about the specific amount that they gave. However, they encouraged my siblings and I to give a portion of our allowance and later our earnings back to God.
The people of Baboua, Central African Republic amazed me with their generosity. Each Sunday, they would dance with joy down the church aisle to place their coins in the offering.
For seminary, I was blessed with financial support from the congregation that I grew up in and the congregation where I was a member when I answered the call to ministry. Their financial generosity made it possible for me to finish seminary with minimal debt.
In seminary and in the congregations where I have served, the question has been what is one supposed to give? I do not believe that there is a prescribed “supposed” to give amount. Rather, I have learned that giving is a journey of responding with gratitude to God’s extravagant generosity and love. Generosity is about the profound joy of seeing lives transformed through the many ways that ministry offers for people to be fed, loved, and forgiven.
My other learning in ministry is that while it can feel uncomfortable or scary to talk about money and giving, this is important for us to do as individuals, families, and as a congregation. Generosity is a spiritual practice that equips us to grow in our relationship with God and with our neighbors.
In May and June, we will be exploring the ministry needs and plans for 2024-2025. You are invited to be a part of the conversations that are being planned and to prayerfully consider how you will support and be a part of the ways that God is calling us to serve and to grow.
God is doing wondrous things through this congregation and invites us into a life-giving future. Join us as we pray: “Here I am, Lord! Send me.”
With gratitude and joy,
Pastor Darcy
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