Here is an announcement that I have never seen in a church newsletter.

Due to a huge budget surplus we are having a special meeting to figure out ways to spend all the extra money. Come to the meeting with your ideas of which missions to support and help us figure out how to get rid of all this surplus money.

We had our budget meeting a short time ago, and we have the opposite problem. St. Mark’s general fund balance is about to reach zero. I’m not an accounting major, but anyone who can add and subtract can see that something must change and change soon at St. Mark’s. We need to either significantly increase our offerings or significantly decrease our expenditures. Most likely we will do some of each.

I spent a considerable amount of time thinking about the budget after our recent meeting. At the next council meeting, I proposed one method of lowering our costs. I asked the council to think about the possibility of changing the pastor’s full time call to a ¾ time call. That would reduce the pastor’s salary, which is the largest line item on the budget by 25 percent.

Since I am not an independently wealthy pastor, that means I would have to think of something that is income producing to do with my ¼ time that I had been spending here. One of the council members suggested that we work on increasing the offerings before such a step is taken. Please let some of the St. Mark’s council members know how you feel about this issue.

I do not want members of the congregation to base their giving on the needs of our budget. I like to keep stewardship separate from budget. Maybe that is a naive view, but I feel strongly about it.

I am somewhat legalistic about my own giving. I believe that scripture calls me to give a tithe. Based on that belief I give ten percent of my income to the church. I give some other income to other charities, and sometimes give extra for special events at the church, but the ten percent remains constant.

If we had a budget surplus I would not reduce my giving percentage to 9 percent or 8 percent. In times of budget shortages I have generally not increased my giving percentage to more than ten percent. I generally do not give in an effort to make the budget balance.

I give out of gratitude. Jesus Christ gave his life for me. My gift to the church is a way for me to acknowledge that I am grateful for what Jesus has done for me.

I give to acknowledge my proper place in God’s world. I am a steward of what God has given me. While I am on this earth, I have the privilege of caring for some of this world’s resources. I didn’t have any resources when I came into the world, and I won’t take any with me when I leave. It all belongs to God. When I give my tithe to the church I am acknowledging my proper relationship with God. I am a steward of what God puts in my care. If God’s word teaches that I should tithe, then I will tithe.

I give because others need me to give. Our congregation uses some of my offering to help those in need. When I give my offering I am making it possible for our congregation to help those in need.

I give in order to support the larger church. We have an office in Duluth where the Bishop of our Synod and his staff work to support the ELCA congregations of North Eastern Minnesota. When I give I am supporting their work. We have an office in Chicago where the Bishop of our denomination and his staff work to support the ELCA congregations of the United States. When I give I am supporting their work as well.

The portion of my dollar that supports the larger church is used to sponsor mission work, educate pastors and leaders of the church, promote youth ministry and other ministries in the congregations, and do many things that can be done with the support of many congregations but can’t be done by individual congregations.

Those are my main reasons for giving. I have other reasons, but the other reasons are secondary. Balancing the budget generally isn’t one of my reasons for giving.

It is not unreasonable for people to increase giving due to the financial needs of the congregation. It is not a bad thing. It is however not what I prefer to see.

I prefer that people would give because they are grateful for the things God has done for them. I prefer that people give because they have a desire to help those in need. I prefer that people give because they want to participate in the ministry of this congregation and participate in the ministry of the larger church.

When our motivation for giving is based on our love for God and our devotion to Jesus Christ, there will be enough in our budget to do the things that must be done.

I am not going to ask you to prayerfully consider what your response to the budget situation at St. Mark’s ought to be. I am asking that you prayerfully consider all the blessings that God has showered upon you. Prayerfully consider how Jesus Christ willingly gave up his life on your behalf, and how he freely gives you eternal life. Prayerfully consider how you might be a blessing to your neighbor, both those nearby and those far away. Prayerfully consider what the scriptures say, and then give cheerfully, for the Lord loves a cheerful giver.

May God bless and keep each and every one of you.

Sincerely,

Pastor Birk