Please take a couple of minutes to sit down and consider this.

Consider what we’ve done during the past year. Consider that we’ve built from scratch an exciting new program for worship, fellowship, and spiritual formation to strengthen our Christian discipleship Wednesday Night Live. Consider that we’ve begun three new pastoral care programs – one for visiting those who can’t leave their homes, one for those who can’t do their own home repairs, and one for those who need healing prayer. Consider that we’ve given almost $20,000 to those whose lives have been devastated by the natural disasters of the tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. Consider that we did it above and beyond giving food baskets to over one hundred families at Christmas, sending graduates off to college with needed and well-earned scholarships, and giving 7% of our pledged contributions to worthy causes throughout Rhode Island and the world beyond. Consider that we’ve totally restructured the way we organize our lay ministries in order to expand the effectiveness of our involvement. Consider that we’ve called a new Assistant to spearhead our ministries to youth. Consider that we’ve created a new memorial meditation garden. Consider that we’ve totally revamped the fire safety of our Parish House. Consider that we’ve achieved all these things while continuing to maintain our excellent educational, music, pastoral, liturgical, and outreach programs. Just consider all that’s been accomplished!

Now consider how it all happened. These accomplishments took three ingredients – your money, your active participation, and God’s blessing. That’s all it took – your money, your active participation, and God’s blessing. It’s not a new recipe. It’s thousands of years old. 2,500 years or so ago, the prophet Malachi spoke God’s word and said, “Bring the full tithe into the temple, and thus put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.” Jesus said it too, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back." When Jesus performed miracles He always said, “Your faith has made you well.” It’s as simple as this: when you and I trust God enough to give generously of our selves – of our money and our active participation in ministry – God blesses it, and more is accomplished than we ever imagined possible. That’s all it takes to see God’s work accomplished by us in this world. So Trust God & Give – your money, your active participation, yourself! We recommend the biblical tithe – 10% of your net income. If you simply can’t do that, give as generous a proportion of your resources as you can. St. Paul’s is a community after all, a community of trust in which every member is a steward of God’s gifts and a minister of God’s work. Trust God & Give, and then see what happens! Use the enclosed Pledge Card and return it to the Church on Sunday, November 20th.