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If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then offer your gift. - Matthew 5:23
Decisions, decisions...Lets see, I think that I should give to my parish, but not my diocese and maybe to the national church. Or was that, I’ll give to the diocese, but not programs in the national church, and to my parish. Or maybe I’ll just define for myself what constitutes a biblically orthodox ministry and simply give there. Better yet, I could just keep the money for myself. After all it is my money. There has been so much rhetoric in our church lately about who should receive our money that it makes one dizzy trying to figure out just where one’s offering might find a home.
I was always taught as a child that all things come from God and that we are simply giving back a portion of what has been so graciously given to us, be that our strength, our spiritual gifts or the money that represents the work of our hands. When I look at the church today I see these gifts that should be offered in deep gratitude used a personal weapons against those with whom we don’t agree. In the twinkling of an eye thanksgiving becomes retaliation. Open joyful giving becomes hoarding. And this is shameful.
I believe where we come into error is in the basic belief, hidden somewhere within us all, that our money is ours to control. After all, we earned it. We should be able to spend it as we see fit. The self centeredness of sin invades even our offerings to our God. The question arises, are offerings given in anger or retaliation truly offerings to God?
You desire no sacrifice, or I would give it; but you take no delight in burnt-offerings. The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise - Psalm 51:16-17
There is much talk of redirecting of funds to "Biblically orthodox" ministries. Yet there is no definition of what "Biblically orthodox" may mean. Who sets the definition? Is helping to rebuild after hurricane, flood or fire biblically unorthodox? Is assisting women in the province of the Indian Ocean to buy land in order to become self sufficient biblically unorthodox? Is providing for our brothers and sisters in Navajoland and Rosebud reservation biblically unorthodox? Is helping an abused woman with children make a life for herself biblically unorthodox? Is offering financial assistance to even those of our Anglican brothers and sisters who have threatened, who have sought to undermine our church, and who have called us heretics, biblically unorthodox? If so, then I suppose that we would be wise to consider redirection.
Yet, when I search out the the ministries of the Episcopal church, these are just a few of the myriad of ministries that our church supports financially and spiritually. According to the triennial budget that was passed in 2003, 36% of the national budget is dedicated to canonical and corporate expenses. The remaining 64% is dedicated for program and outreach. I doubt that many of our parishes and few of our dioceses could say the same. (And for those who are concerned about such things, nowhere is there a category for "gay and lesbian ministries")
When we speak of redirecting funds we assume that we are expressing our displeasure towards the national church. This is a false assumption, as I am quite sure that the canonical and corporate expenses will be paid. In fact they could probably be paid from endowment income. What we are really hurting is the ministry of our church; our graceful gifts to those who are unable to help themselves and look to the church for succor. Look into the eyes of a woman of the Indian Ocean waiting for assistance and explain how you withheld the money needed because were angry at your church. Speak into the hearts of a group of indigenous people in Mexico waiting for cattle and animal husbandry training and tell them how you have come to believe that this ministry offered to them is biblically unorthodox. Take the hand of a homeless family in Springfield and explain how you are sharing the love of Christ with them as you withdraw the funding for assistance with training and counseling to lift them from poverty because you wish to make a statement of disagreement with the national church. And lastly, stand before our God
on that last day and answer the question of how you "did unto the least of these my brethren".
Certainly there are those who would make the argument that the redirected funds would go for good works in other areas, biblically orthodox areas. This may indeed be true. We will have to see where the redirected funds from dioceses that have already taken this stance actually find a home. Even though some of the dioceses who have so decided are "big givers", the amount that is redirected is a pittance compared to the funds given in the unity of the national church. As for our personal giving, I doubt very much that the $5.60 per month that is the national church’s share of my pledge will be very effective wherever I might choose to send it. Yet, combined with the joyful giving of my brothers and sisters around the church, my widow’s mite can make a great difference in the lives of many. The whole is always greater than the sum of its parts.
Brothers and sisters let us all be joyful givers. Let us all give in deep thanksgiving for the gifts that God has bestowed upon us in this life. Let us all continue our unqualified giving, just as we have received that wonderful, unqualified grace of God through the love and sacrifice of our Lord Jesus. Let us make a true offering to the Lord.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. - Matthew 6:21
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