It's not very often my parents call me for advice, so when my father asked last week for my input on an important matter, I was all ears. It turns out he was not looking for personal counseling or profound wisdom from his daughter but rather more practical guidance. He is the newly elected chair of the stewardship committee at his church. He was going to stand in front of the congregation and give their equivalent of a 'minute for stewardship.' "Help, what do I say?"
My advice was fairly straightforward.
1) Tell them their gift genuinely matters to the future of the church.
2) Remind them that part of Christian faith requires acts of service; stewardship is service.
3) Then tell them what the church is excited about doing.
This Sunday is our stewardship Sunday when your faithful chair Elder Tom Lotterman will ask you to consider your gift to GPC for the 2020 campaign. So maybe I will help Tom out as well.
1) We need your gift to continue the important work of Georgetown Presbyterian Church!
2) Jesus has called us to be in community with each other - to serve selflessly, to give generously, and to be joyful disciples.
3) We are excited about teaching children about Jesus, about connecting D.C. young adults through their faith, about being a rich community for all ages where we come together because of our desire to know and serve Jesus Christ. Our church is growing and excited about being an essential family of faith in Washington, D.C.
Thank you for pledging. Thank you for serving. Thank you for being excited about our church. I continue to be incredibly proud to be your pastor. May you be blessed by all the ways you love and serve the Lord!
Peace,
Rev. Dr. Camille Cook
