Jesus talked a lot about money. So did the Apostle Paul. They believed that the way we use our money has Kingdom consequences, and that giving to the Church was a way we express our love for Christ and help strengthen His ministry. Since both talked about it in a straight-forward way, I want to do the same. I want to do so by way of a story.
“Two people, in a little New Hampshire town were calling on their fellow church members for their annual pledge to the church. At one house, a member said, ‘I get tired of being asked for money for the church. It’s money, money, money all the time.’
The younger of the two visitors listened carefully, but then spoke up and said, ’you probably know that my wife and I had a son. When Charlie went to school the expenses for his clothing and other needs seemed to mount. Every week there seemed to be something. One week Charlie needed new pants. The next week he needed new shoes. The next week it was school supplies. There seemed to be no end to his needs. Finally, one day when my wife told me about another need, I let off some steam. ‘It seems to me,’ I vented, ‘that Charlie is always needing something. I get tired of hearing money, money, money all the time.’
Perhaps you know, or maybe you don’t that last year Charlie contracted spinal meningitis and we lost him. As you spoke, I was thinking if I could go home now and hear my wife say, ‘Charlie needs something,’ it would be the happiest day of my life. I didn’t realize how precious that boy was until I didn’t have him any longer.
Perhaps few of us realize how important Christ and the Church are to us and to our world. None of us could understand unless the Church was taken away from us.”
Dunwoody UMC does such outstanding work with children, youth, young adults, adults and senior adults. Our church reaches out to the homeless, the hungry, those who are hurting mentally and emotionally and those who live on the margins of life. It has an outstanding sports and leisure program and a Music Ministry. It touches lives throughout this community, across this state and around the world. It is a leader in missions for the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. DUMC constantly works with the Candler School of Theology to provide theological education to our members. And the list could go on. For all of these reasons and more, I have no hesitation asking you to prayerfully consider your pledge to the 2020 budget for Dunwoody UMC. Without your support, this church cannot do what it does.
Your Pastor,
Rev. Dan Brown
P.S. I hope you will consider joining us as we celebrate the ministries of DUMC at our Consecration Luncheon on Sunday, Nov. 17—one after the 10:00 a.m. Sunday School hour and one after the 11:05 a.m. Traditional Service. Register to attend at dunwoodyumc.org/annual-campaign or by calling the church office at 770-394-0675.