Dear Saints in Santa Fe and other far-off places,

Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ, who showed the world what God’s reign looks like.

A dime begins a life pattern.

When I was four years old my mom would give me a dime each week to take to church school to place in the offering.  Since dad was the pastor and we lived right next to the church I wasn’t tempted to spend it on an ice cream cone—the detour was too great and mom would have found out, I’m sure.

So, I would hold the dime in my hand waiting with anticipation for the teacher to pass around the basket and I let it fall into the weaving, clinking with other dimes.  My dime along with the others would do great things in the coming week, I thought.  Stop a war perhaps.  Or cure cancer.  Maybe it would feed a hungry person.  I had no idea what a dime was worth, but I knew my giving was something very important.

Week after week the pattern continued.  A dime eventually became a dollar, my dollar, then a check, then a pledge, now a tithe.

Giving part of our income, yes, 10% or more, is one of the most freeing things Jenny and I do.

Now I must stop here and admit this is my fourth try writing to you.  I keep thinking there are some other magic words or stories that might convince you to pledge money to the church for its mission and ministry in 2024.  Might my dime story be enough?

Not sure.  Even after 29 consecutive fall stewardship campaigns as a head pastor, I still toss and turn this time of year, so I look to Henri Nouwen, one of the spiritual giants of the 20^th century, for help.

Here’s what Father Nouwen would say when raising money:

We have a vision that is amazing and exciting.  We are inviting you to invest yourself through the resources that God has given you—your energy, your prayers, and your money—in this work to which God has called us. . .. It is always a call to conversion . . .  where we are drawn together by God, who is about to do a new thing through our collaboration.  (A Spirituality of Fundraising, p. 16).