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This Sunday I have a difficult task because
along with all clergy in the Diocese, I have received a
letter from Bishop of Norwich to read out at all church
services as it its ‘Giving for
Growth Sunday’.
During the last 9 years as Rector of
Fakenham, I have never spoken about money in a sermon
because as a church, we have tried to finance ourselves in
imaginative ways, partly from church collections, and
partly from a whole range of activities and initiatives.
I am reminded of the letter that was pushed
through a Vicarage door which read ‘Dear Vicar, I’m sorry I
can’t put more money on your church plate, but my dad hasn’t
increased my pocket money for ages. Could you have a sermon
about a raise in my allowance? Love Claire. Age 10’
There is no doubt that all Christian
denominations are being hit by declining incomes in real
terms and also declining congregations. Recently I undertook
some research into UK congregation figures in the main
church denominations and all were declining, and so we have
prospects of fewer people in church having to give more. Not
a very happy prospect,
Recently I attend the leaving party for two
local ministers and we were told that if their church was
here in the next 10 years they would be very surprised.
My task a Rector of Fakenham is to make sure
that the Anglican Church has a presence in Fakenham for the
foreseeable future, and I have no doubt that it will. Apart
from baptisms, weddings and funerals, we undertake a large
number of home communions, school visits and have contacts
with almost every group in the town.
My view is that churches will survive if they
stop thinking how much money they can raise to survive, but
how they can help and support the community. Giving for
Growth Sunday is about money, but it is about giving
yourself.
Mother Theresa said, ‘Let us more and more
insist on raising funds of love, of kindness, of
understanding, of peace.’
That so many from the Parish Church go out
into the community and offer their time to help others, and
that almost every organisation in the town has a church
member working hard from Town Council to every charity shop
in the community.
St Paul said to the Church in Corinth ‘On the
first day of the week, each one of you should set aside a
sum of money in keeping with his income’, and so also should
we, in a week when we have a major Budget, and at time when
Diocese of Norwich is very stretched to pay its way, money
is important but we must evaluate what we give to God not
just in terms of money but in time and energy, in concern
and love for our neighbours.
As Billy Graham, the great evangelist, said,
‘Being a Christian is a daily process whereby you grow to be
more like Christ ‘
That is really what this Sunday is all about.
Adrian Bell
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