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Bishop's article from the May/June 2009 Making Christ Known
It is at times like these, when there is hardship and fear, that the church’s ministry is exceptionally powerful.
Here are some thoughts.
- In dark times, proclaim the Good News. “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
- Gather folks together for Word, Sacrament, prayer and study. It is in the context of Christian community that we “carry each other burdens and fulfill the law of Christ”. After each worship service, meeting or study time, provide refreshments so that people can chat about how it is going with them.
- Start a Bible study on the subject of money and stewardship. I recommend considering the book, Giving to God by Mark Allan Powell. At the end of each chapter there are helpful discussion questions.
- Emphasize counting your blessings.
St. Paul writes that we should give thanks in all circumstances. We have much to be thankful for: living in the United States, friends, family, faith, the church, forgiveness, and salvation.
- Offer a class in budgeting and basic finances. Jesus speaks often of the need to be a good manager of possessions, for example Luke 14: 28-30. There are good resources available for such a class.
- Go green, it will save money and help the environment. Visit the Northern Illinois Synod web page at nisynod.org/green for a list of ideas from our Mission Gatherings on the topic going green.
- Start a simpler lifestyle group. Explore together how to unclutter, slow down and be more content. This is an opportunity for spiritual growth.
- Plant a garden at church or somewhere else. Share the work and share the vegetables. There is someone in each congregation whose hobby is gardening and who could organize the garden club.
- Keep on giving both individually and as a congregation. We give because God gives to us and we give because generosity is the Christian way of life. Reflect on the response of the Churches in Macedonia in terms of their offering for the needy in Jerusalem - 2 Corinthians 8.
- Trust God. Jesus teaches: “Therefore I tell you, do not be worried about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, or about your body, what you shall wear… Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
In Christ,
Bishop Gary Wollersheim
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