Consecration Sunday November 23

In the past several years, the pastors have written a pledge letter to church members. This year, the Finance Committee and other laity will be publishing a letter, which will contain a pledge card for 2009 and some personal thoughts from various people. We hope you will read this and celebrate all of the ways God has provided for you, and how God has worked through you to reach others with the love of Christ as well.

If you consider Peoples your church family, we hope you will seriously and prayerfully consider continuing or beginning "percentage giving" and to indicate your pledge to give for 2009. Why? Most importantly for our own faith. Our level of financial giving is a direct indication of how much we trust God, and how close a relationship we have with the body of Christ, which is the Church. When we decide to give a percentage of our income to our church family up front, we step out in faith that God will provide for us the rest of the week or month. On the other hand, when we give at the end of the week or month whatever we happen to have left over, or throw in the plate whatever we happen to have in our wallet, we are walking by "sight" rather than by "faith."

Pledging is also an indication of our level of faith. Some folks are only comfortable in giving what they can afford to give each week rather than making a promise to God and the Church what they will give for the coming year. When we budget out our giving ahead of time, we are walking by faith rather than by sight.

All of us (no exceptions) have room to grow in this area of stewardship of our finances. Even folks who are currently giving at 10% or more of their income can grow in what it means to give sacrificially. And we also have room to grow in other areas of stewardship; as we have been learning in Living For Giving, stewardship does have to do with money but is much bigger than money alone. We are in fact stewards of the manifold grace of God!

On Laity Sunday November 23, when the lay folks of the church lead worship, there will also be an opportunity to offer your pledge cards in response to God's grace in your life. This is called Consecration Sunday, as we will together bless the pledges of the church family. So offer your pledge with joy and gratitude for the manifold grace of God.