Planting Seeds and Scripture
G
ive, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken
together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38
On Sunday, Nov. 3, we will began our annual
Giving & Receiving
campaign to raise the funds to cover our 2020 missions and operations. The theme of this year’s campaign is
Planting Seeds
.
The Bible includes numerous references to the sowing of seeds and the reaping of the harvest and many of Jesus’ parables involved stories that made sense to an agrarian society. Today, those verses and stories are easily applied to our actions through the understanding that every time we choose an action, we also choose the consequences of that action. So it is with our understanding of giving and receiving and with our relationship with money. The general rule is, the more seeds planted, the more fruit harvested. The Bible applies this law to our giving. Those who show generosity will receive generosity in kind. This principle applies no matter the amount of the gift—what matters is the spirit in which it is given:
Each one must give as they have decided in their heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Corinthians 2:7
The Episcopal Church sees tithing as more than simply contributing money to the church; it’s about reaching out to build relationships from a perspective of abundance instead of scarcity. Please give prayerful consideration of this perspective as you decide on your pledge amount this November.
John Banks & Kim Braun, Co-Chairs
2020 Giving & Receiving Committee
