I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  (1 Corinthians 1:4-9)

 

Dear Saints,

 

       On the radio news one morning in April I learned that, according to a recent poll, “few Americans consider themselves rich.”  The family in New Jersey with a yearly income of $100,000 (in the top 20%) said they were “just making it from month to month,” living modestly, with nothing left to put aside.  The businessman who makes $300,000 a year (top 2%) said, “I’m marginally holding my own.”  He said he has to live on the “poorer side of town.”  And the wife of the New York investment banker who was paid more than $1,000,000 last year (top 0.2%) said that, though she was “statistically wealthy,” she didn’t feel rich.  She was asked, who then is rich?  She thought for a moment and said, maybe someone with 20 or 30 million dollars in the bank.

 

It’s no big news that we Americans, as a nation, have a demented relationship with money.  We have a hard time being content with what we have, as long as we know of someone who has just a little more.  Seen from the vantage point of any other country on earth, we have incredible wealth to enjoy, but we deny that we are rich.  And many middle class families seem to consider themselves “too poor” to give away much of what they have, as if every dollar given is a severe loss endured.  Reliable sources report that charitable giving in this country now, as a percentage of income, is roughly half of what it was during the Great Depression.  Back then, Americans gave away on average 3.3% of their income; Church people averaged perhaps 3.6%.  Between 1968 and 1998, incomes rose 91%.  Charitable giving rose (in dollars), but not proportionately with income.  Recent estimates are that Americans give away between 1.6% and 2.2% of their income; Church people perhaps as much as 2.4%.  Americans with incomes of less than $20,000 give away a higher percentage of their income than any other group.

 

Now there are some real reasons to be anxious.  The world situation is unsettled.  The U.S. economy is in bad shape; Maine’s economy is worse still.  Unemployment is rising.  Budgets are being cut everywhere.  Money invested in the stock market is losing its value.  Housing, education, and health care are being priced beyond many people’s reach.  We are all personally affected, some severely.  I am not immune from these concerns, as I try to plan for the parish’s financial health, and as I try to grasp the concept of sending two children to college in a few short years.  In light of these factors, it might have seemed a poor time for the Diocese of Maine to initiate a Capital Campaign.  In the study and consultation leading up to the special Convention that met on May 10, and in the two hours of lively debate and questioning, all objections were heard.  But when the resolution was brought to a vote, the consensus was a resounding “Yes!”

 

I wish I had words to convey to you all the hope, energy, and enthusiasm I sensed at Convention as we drew close to a vote.  The specter of scarcity would lure us to build security for ourselves by hoarding what we have.  Making new resources available for urgently needed ministries in this Diocese, at this time, is a prophetic counter-cultural statement about God’s generosity and faithfulness.  One person, interviewed last winter about the proposed Capital Campaign, said, “According to logic, [the timing] couldn’t be worse.  Spiritually, it might be the right time.”

 

Fear not!  No individual or congregation will be assessed a specific amount in order to meet the Campaign’s goal.  Participation is entirely voluntary, and there are lots of ways to participate.  What we as a congregation do specifically about this diocesan Capital Campaign is something yet to be decided by your Vestry and the Stewardship Task Force.  If all you can offer is your prayers, then pray, pray, pray!  Don’t let the daunting figure of $3 million distract you from the main point.  That’s just a cautiously optimistic calculation, a mark on the target.  The text of the Resolution passed on May 10 begins with an invitation to “embark on a bold journey of faith to expand the opportunities for mutual and new ministries…”.  The bold journey of faith is the main point.

 

In a climate of anxiety, the Lord calls his Church to bold journeys of faith.  “Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.”  (Hebrews 10:23)

 

Faithfully,

     Chuck Bradshaw +