On Sunday Tom Heasman gave a brief Giving Update
About once a term we have a brief update on giving at Dundonald. I’m not going to hit you with lots of pie charts and statistics today – but I’d love to just spend a minute or two getting us excited about being financially involved here at Dundonald. This is for everyone; whether you’ve been here 2 months or 20 years!
Back in September, Matt preached a sermon on what it means to JOIN IN here at Dundonald. We heard from Acts 2. Let me read out a few verses from that passage.
44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
We were reminded how this passage shows how the early church was a church devoted to sacrificial service, demonstrated in part by how they saw their possessions as gifts from God to be used for the blessing of others.
Because wonderfully, the gospel changes the way we think about our money.
No longer is it ours to hoard for our own benefit, but we see our money as a gift from God, given to us, to be used for the good of others!
And that’s how money that is given to Dundonald is used. It’s used for the good of others, in seeking to help make known the good news of the gospel, to the very ends of the earth.
Money that is given goes to gospel things such as:
- Mission partners on the other side of the world
- Church planting in other parts of London
- And ministry being done here in Dundonald
So as we think about the giving of our money, let me just say three things:
- Time to say thank you!
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- Thank you to God, for generously giving us all that we need to resource the ministry here at Dundonald and support gospel ministry further afield. We have so much to thank him for.
- And a big thank you to all those who are involved financially already – we receive no external funding from the Church of England or anything like that – we only operate on the generous contribution of this church family – it’s time to say thank you!
Secondly, perhaps for some it’s time to review?
- Time to review?
- For some who’ve been here for a while, it might be time to review your giving. Perhaps to reflect & prayerfully consider your current giving.
- That’s a great practice to be engaging in regularly – pausing to review how we are giving.
- For some, it might be time to review.
And then thirdly, for some here, perhaps it’s time to get involved:
- Time to get involved?
- A third of regulars at Dundonald aren’t actually financially involved in giving at the moment.
- For some, that will be because of really good reasons, and it’s just not possible at the moment – and that’s completely fine!
- But perhaps you’re one of the 33% who aren’t involved yet, and actually, you could be…
- Particularly I guess this might be for newcomers, those who’ve arrived at Dundonald recently – if this is your home church, it’d be a good thing to get involved financially. Or perhaps you’ve been here for a little while and you just haven’t gotten round to it yet – can I encourage you to start the conversation about it.
- Giving of our money for the good of others, by supporting gospel ministry.
- Practically, it’s pretty straightforward. The easiest way is via standing order; filling in one of those forms you should have found on your seat. That’s the best way, as it means you can plan, and we can budget!
- For some then, it will be time to get involved.
What next?
- Well, firstly – talk about it with others! Certainly with your spouse, if you’re married. Or chat to one of the elders about what being financially involved means for them. Talk about it with others.
- And then pray, and ask God for wisdom and godliness as you think about your giving.
- And finally act – take the leaflet and form away, or go to dundonald.org/giving, and take the next steps.
Talk, pray, act.
Any questions about any of that, don’t hesitate to find me, or one of the other pastors, after the service – we’d love to chat more.
Let me pray.
PRAY:
- THANK YOU for all that you have given us.
- THANK YOU for the generosity of this church family, and for the gospel ministry that is able to be done here as a result.
- PLEASE help us as a church family to grow in sacrificial service, particularly as we think about our money & possessions.
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