A Message from Pastor Jamey
Hey everybody,
For the entire month of December, I excitedly wrote about the different initiatives that were part of The Gift (our year-end giving challenge that invests in the next generation, our community, and the world in significant ways). I'm always worried we won't hit our goal, so I try very hard to cast enough vision for what can be done when we all come together to accomplish something so significant. Right up until Christmas Eve, we were pretty far from our goal of $90,000.
After the Christmas Eve service was over, we went into a week of vacation, and it wasn't until the week of January 2nd that I learned how much we had received for The Gift. I was very excited but didn't want to announce it that first Sunday after the New Year because I knew a few more dollars would probably trickle in. So, the plan was to make the big announcement of The Gift total on Sunday, January 14th.
Can I confess one of my flaws to you? Before I do, this flaw has a positive spin on it. The positive spin is that I tend to be very forward focused. I am always looking ahead at the next goal, the next hill to take, the next series to prepare for, and the next Sunday to teach. I can sometimes be a little task-driven, so when I tick off a task mentally, I automatically go to the next task.
That can be an excellent quality. But the downside is that I don't often stop after achieving something I worked hard for. Or, in the case of the staff or congregation, if I point us towards a hill to take, and we take it…I don't always remember to celebrate all that was accomplished. I don't always remember to say "THANK YOU" to everyone on the team who worked, gave, and sacrificed to make something happen. So, when I went out to teach this past Sunday, I wasn't thinking about The Gift. Didn't that happen a couple of weeks ago? So, I finished my message and was about to walk off the stage when I was stopped by Heather, who reminded me that I had forgotten to announce The Gift.
So, we talked about what was accomplished, and we put The Gift total on the screen. We celebrated the radical generosity of a pretty fantastic church! Today, let's celebrate what God has done through the collective us! The final tally for The Gift is:
$125,024.64!
How incredible! Thank you to each and every one of you who prayed for The Gift or gave anything towards it! I cannot wait to see the impact of your generosity in the coming weeks! The first part of The Gift will be distributed THIS Sunday as we pack 60,000 meals with Rise Against Hunger. A few slots are open to help pack these meals from 2:30 to 4:30. If interested, sign up here.
Please join me around the Kitchen Table this Sunday as we continue our House Party!
Blessings,
Pastor Jamey
