I learned a lot of new words in June of 1989. I spent that summer studying Greek as the first part of my seminary education. About a month prior to enrolling in school, I turned in my notice at the coal gasification plant where I worked as a senior process engineer. There were about twenty other engineers in the process-engineering department.

When I announced that I was leaving the plant and enrolling in a Lutheran Seminary, a lot of people stopped by my office to ask me about my plans. I remember one conversation in particular. A group of engineers were gathered in my office and one of them asked what classes I would be taking. I was about to tell him that I would be taking Greek, Hebrew, Scripture Interpretation, and etc. but I never got a chance.

A friend of mine, who was an electrical engineer, answered for me. He said that I would start out with Money Grubbing 101, and then I would be taking that class on crying from the pulpit. If you remember the time period television evangelist, Jimmy Baker, had recently been in the news for bilking people out of a lot of money. I think he had sold quite a few more condominiums than anyone had planned to build. Jimmy Schwiegert was also in the news after being caught on camera visiting the hotel room of a prostitute. He cryed from the pulpit and asked the people to forgive his sins. The money grubbing 101 and crying from the pulpit class got quite a laugh.

When I got to seminary I read through the class listings each time I had to register for a new semester. I never saw that crying from the pulpit class offered, and I never saw money grubbing 101. I didn't even see a money grubbing class cleverly disguised under the heading of Christian Stewardship. I wish money grubbing 101 had been available. It is something I had to learn through on the job training.

I was not completely unfamiliar with stewardship. I had gone to church most of my life, and I began to tithe at an early age. What was unfamiliar to me was asking others to part with their money. I received some on the job training by accident.

While I attended seminary I also had a number of part time jobs. One was working for a consulting firm downtown St. Paul. One day I saw an ad in a paper that had been left on the bus I was riding the bus home from work. It was for a roller blade ride from Hinckley to Duluth with an overnight stop in Moose Lake. I enjoyed roller blading and decided to check into the ride.

It turned out to be a fund raising event for the MS Society of Minnesota. There was a $20.00 entry fee, and a requirement to raise $150.00 in pledges for the MS Society. I signed up for the 75-mile ride and began asking people for money. I was not familiar with MS.

When I began asking for money, I was surprised how many people had friends or relatives with MS. They knew about how terrible the disease was and were eager to provide funding that might eventually help find a cure. I began to learn about the disease and to care about people who suffered from it. I began to care more about asking for money than the fun I would have on the ride.

On my first ride, I raised just a little more than the required minimum. On a later bicycle ride for the MS Society, I raised more than $1,300. I felt that I had earned a passing grade in money grubbing 101. I might have even qualified for money grubbing 102.

Yesterday, Phillip and I signed up for the Habitat 500. It is a bicycle ride that begins on July 15th and ends on July 21st. We will cover 523 miles, most of which are in Wisconsin. The ride requires us each pay a $100.00 entry fee, which will cover most of the costs of our food and the ride support. We are also each required to collect a minimum of $750.00 in pledges. The pledges will benefit North St. Louis County Habitat for Humanity. This will be money grubbing 101 for Phillip. It will also be good exercise for both of us and a good father and son vacation. To learn more about the ride look for www.habitat500.org on the Internet. To learn even more than that, sign up to come with.

Actually pastors should coach their members about giving to charitable organizations and to congregations. Next time you read through one of the Gospels count up the number of times Jesus talked about giving to the poor. You will notice that he considered it an important subject. If Jesus considered it an important subject, we all should consider it an important subject.

I will never tell you that giving is necessary to earn eternal life. Jesus paid for our salvation in full by his death on the cross. He grants us salvation as a free gift.

Giving is necessary because there are people in the world without adequate food, shelter, or clothing. Giving is necessary if we are going to find cures for crippling diseases. Giving is necessary if we want to lesson the suffering in the world.

Giving is an expression of thanksgiving for the free gift we have received. Giving is using our time, our talents, and our treasures to further the work of Christ in the world. Christ considered it important and so do I.

That's all for now, but personally I don't think that's too bad for a guy who never found money grubbing 101 in his seminary course catalog. May God bless you all.

Sincerely,

Pastor Birk