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Special
Offerings: Avenues of Connection |
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“Special Offering.” The phrase has a raft of different
meanings depending on who is saying it and who is hearing it.
Many of the emotional responses related to those meanings are
negative. For a mission committee, it may mean deciding how
to use its share of the offerings that invite the congregation
to keep a portion; at the least it means finding people to present
minutes for mission for several Sundays. For many pastors, it
means another attempt to preempt the ongoing stewardship emphases
of the church. For Sunday school teachers, it may mean an interruption
in the scheduled curriculum. For far too many members, it means
another source of guilt, either for not giving or for not giving
“enough.”
The purpose of this article is not to deny the reality of any
of those perspectives and responses, but to suggest another:
an avenue of connection. For members, a special offering can
be an opportunity to find a connection with part of the church’s
mission they feel passionate about, and to focus extra energy,
prayer, and financial support on that aspect of the church’s
mission. That can be a healthy and important step in their overall
journey of discipleship. For Christian educators, it can offer
an avenue for connecting lessons discussed in class with tangible
action that makes a difference in the larger world. For stewardship
and mission committee members, it can be an opportunity to give
members a connection with the work of the larger church. And
for pastors and sessions, such increased identification can
actually predispose members toward more generosity, not less.
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Let’s
look just briefly at the four churchwide special offerings of
the PC(USA) and the avenues each might offer for members to connect
with the needs to give and be involved that many of them experience.
One Great Hour of Sharing, received by most congregations during
Lent and on Easter, is the first offering in the calendar year.
Since 1949, Presbyterians have faithfully supported this Offering,
giving about as much to support One Great Hour as all other denominations
combined.
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One reason
is the wide range of ministries and projects supported that maintain
a pretty clear focus on helping communities experiencing either
urgent or chronic need to meet challenges through their own efforts
and creativity. The three programs supported by the Offering meet
needs ranging from the most immediate (disaster relief and emergency
response, through Presbyterian Disaster Relief) to long-term,
structural problems (through both Self-Development of People and
the Presbyterian Hunger Program). Given the long tradition of
the Offering, the challenge is keeping it from feeling perfunctory.
By checking the Web page,
or calling the Office of Special Offerings at (888) 728-7228,
ext. 5183 or 5168, those interested in investing some creativity
can find ideas to adapt, or can share their own ideas with the
wider church. |
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. . . a special offering can be an opportunity to find a connection
with part of the church’s mission they feel passionate
about, and to focus extra energy, prayer, and financial support
on that aspect of the church’s mission.
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The second offering in the year, the Pentecost Offering, is
also the newest and the most rapidly growing. Begun in 1998,
it has grown every year and is now received by more than 1,900
congregations, mostly on the Day of Pentecost. Its focus is
on ministries with children and youth. One of the most exciting
aspects from the viewpoint of congregations is that the 212th
G.A. (2000) suggested that congregations keep 40 percent of
the Offering for their own ministries with children at risk.
The remaining 60 percent is sent to the General Assembly—10
percent for other ministries with children
at risk and 50 percent for ministries with youth and young adults.
This offers members or congregations that have a passion for
particular kinds of ministries an opportunity to flesh out their
visions. Congregations that have trouble deciding on how to
use their share of the Offering can look at other congregations’
ideas on the Web site
or call their presbytery office to see if the presbytery is
sponsoring projects focused on children at risk.
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This
October, the Peacemaking Offering will be received for the twenty-fifth
time. Begun in 1980, it was the first offering to recommend that
congregations keep a share. In fact, in many ways its use in congregations,
presbyteries, and synods is one of the primary focuses of the
Offering, since 25 percent stays in congregations and synods and
presbyteries divide another 25 percent. The 50 percent that comes
to the General Assembly allows the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program
to create study resources, plan conferences, and sponsor international
peacemakers, in addition to supporting the production of the Offering
resources. Congregations that have not decided how to use their
share of the Offering can check the Web
site or 25 Ways Your Congregation Can Enhance Its Commitment
to Peacemaking Using Its 25% of the Peacemaking Offering from
the packet of offering resources. |
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Few members
will feel a deep connection to all four of the offerings. Yet
members unmoved by any of them may be even rarer. |
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Several generations of Presbyterians have given to the Christmas
Joy Offering and its predecessors, the Joy Gift and the
Christmas Offering. Received the Sunday before Christmas, the
Offering has two related focuses. One is the Assistance Programs
of the Board of Pensions, which help to meet the needs of the
church’s faithful servants, people who used their gifts
in the service of the church and who are now experiencing unforeseen
needs. The other focus is racial ethnic schools related to the
PC(USA), where young people can discover and develop their own
gifts and find ways to use those gifts to help their community.
Members who may be interested in a deeper involvement in the
Offering can contact the Office of Special Offerings to become
part of a network of local advocates who can help other congregations
get the materials they need and locate speakers who may help
the congregations interpret the Offering.
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Few members
will feel a deep connection to all four of the offerings. Yet
members unmoved by any of them may be even rarer. Why not give
these avenues for connection a chance to engage your members’
creativity and generosity, weaving them more fully into the fabric
of your congregation and the larger church? |
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One Great Hour of Sharing—Sharing
Love with God’s Whole Family
April 11, 2004
Theme: “God Uses All Gifts for Big Purposes”
It’s remarkable what your gift will do.
Scripture: “There is a boy here who has five barley
loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?”
(John 6:9)
Pentecost Offering—Helping to Nurture
Faith
May 30, 2004
Theme, Scripture: “Together with Christ We Will
Be Given What God Has Promised” (Rom. 8:17)
Peacemaking Offering—Joining
God’s Peacegiving
October 3, 2004
Theme, Scripture: “I will grant peace in the land”
(Lev. 26:6)
Christmas Joy Offering—Meeting Human
Need
December 19, 2004
Theme: “Increase the Joy”
Scripture: “The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep
darkness—on them light is shined. You have multiplied
the nation, you have increased its joy.” (Isa. 9:2–3a)
For more information about Special Offerings, contact Alan
Krome, Associate for Special Offerings, Mission Education
and Promotion, at (888) 728-7228, ext. 5168, or
send
him an e-mail.
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