Last week we prayed for some dear brothers and sisters who were facing starvation, and we urged you—as the Lord led—to give to our famine relief fund. In concert with our fellow CREC congregations, we are happy to say that over 40 thousand dollars has been raised, just over half of what we needed for that particular need. As a number of the saints around the country will be taking collections today, so we invite you again to designate a gift to this famine relief fund.
Scripture says that God loves a cheerful giver. God loves it, and He loves those who throw themselves into this kind of thing. When we give in this way we are mimicking the way God is—God overflows constantly, and He enables us to overflow constantly. He loves teaching us how to do it. You may not give because you feel guilty over the fact that your children go to bed every night clothed, fed, and warm. If you are grateful for these things, as you must be, then that gratitude should express itself in a desire for others to be blessed in just the way you have been.
As your minister, I wanted to express my thanks to you as the kind of congregation that gives itself away in countless ways. Your works of love, and your cultivation of community, are constantly noticed. You are a tithing congregation, treating that tithe as a floor to stand on as you gather up the rest of your considerable gifts. As the apostle Paul said, to a very similar congregation at Thessalonica, your works of love are manifold and obvious. So don’t let up—do so more and more.