This is our Annual Stewardship Campaign for our General Budget.  The budget sets the ministries that we can fund and support from Worship, Adult Ministries, Missions, Apportionments, Children’s Ministries, and Evangelism.  Our General Budget is our most important giving area because it enables all other church activities and without it, nothing else would happen.  Giving to the General Budget is our first and most important giving opportunity.

In the material for the Pyramid there is a daily devotional. We are posting the daily devotional on social media and we have them posted on our website already here (the complete guide and days 1-8 are up now…more to come) … https://www.christchurchgastonia.org/bulletins-and-newsletters . 

The authors, Mark King and Andy Langford, are both pastors in Western NC and Mark is the conference treasurer.  Each day they provide insightful and challenging devotionals that ask us to examine our need to give and to give generously, in response to God’s own generosity towards us. Each Sunday we will examine a biblical example of stewardship and how we give. 

On a personal note, the Pyramid of Christian Generosity has challenged Sharon and me to remain faithful in our giving through the church and to grow in our giving.  Most importantly it has helped us see our giving to the church as an opportunity and not an obligation.

In two weeks, you will receive an Estimate of Giving card, electronically or in print.  We will invite you to estimate your giving to God through Christ Church for the 12 months starting 3/1/2023 to 2/29/2024.  Note that I did not say a pledge card; we are not asking you to pledge, rather we are asking you to be intentional in your giving and to set a goal and thus to estimate your giving for this period. 

Lastly, for now, we want you to focus on your need to give, and not on God’s need to receive.  That is, that you and I have a need to reciprocate God’s abundant generosity toward us by giving back through His Church!  If we all give in this way, the church will more than meet its financial goals and be able to invest more in mission and ministry each year to the Glory of God.

Also, I want to thank all of you for your generous spirit. I had help with the recent sewer issue at the parsonage, and with the help of Bobby Anderson, David Smith, and Jeff Hutchins we were able to save the church approximately $5,000 for that repair.  Also, we have received a gift from the Sonshine group to replace the shower and a toilet at the parsonage, both are very needed and give me another project to work on.  Thank you Sonshiners!

Peace,

Pastor Burt