Thanks be to God for the gifts that come our way! Deerfield UMC asked the church the Sunday before Thanksgiving to help meet our budget shortfall of $34,000 and to give their pledge or gift before November 30, when our finance committee is to meet again. So the response back from the congregation is our reason to offer the huge praise. Not only did we meet the challenge, at the end of the day one week after we asked the church to raise the funds, we had raised $37, 880.00! That's right, more than we asked for. We asked our members to give their regular gifts and to give to the challenge before our church above and beyond their regular giving, and the response to that request has given us evidence of the hand of God working in our midst. To come from a shortfall of $34,000 to now being able to pay out our apportionments in full and to meet all of our ministry needs is a great reward.
Saturday evening at about 3:45pm, a challenge came in from a member of the church that if we could raise $5000 in pledges or gifts to come in before the end of December, that the member would match our gifts with another $5000. We accepted the challenge. I sent out an email to the church members to let them know of the challenge, and that I had a dinner that I had to go to in about 15 minutes and I was going to be gone for the rest of the evening, and then leading in worship the next morning. If we were going to meet the challenge, it was going to be up to them to get on the phone and call people and for them to give and make the most of the offer. So I prayed that God would move on the hearts of the people, I honored the commitment to our members that night and went on to the dinner. I trusted and I prayed. I shared the challenge with them, and they also joined me in prayer. Some how God worked a fabulous work in the hearts of his people. The phone lines were hot here in Boone Saturday night, and by Sunday morning, the phone was ringing early here at the parsonage to put in a pledge in time to meet the challenge. Yes, a lot of people have played a part in this great story. People have sacrificed what they were going to give each other for Christmas to donate to the church. Our lead donor had to have a nudge from the Lord to make the first move, and we give the Lord praise for that nudge and for the obedience to lead our church in financial commitment. We praise the Lord for so many families accepting the responsibility to do what they could. For some that was a large gift and for some that was a small gift. What is important is that we have each given above and beyond our regular gift to meet the present need, and God blessed the gift and mulitiplied it. Yes, you have to have great leadership to do this, and we can give the Lord the credit for the leadership of the Holy Spirit. For without the Holy Spirit, pulling us together in one accord, we would still be scratching our heads wondering how would we pay what we owe before the end of the year. God has moved on the people here in Boone, and if you could see me now, I am doing grown up cartwheels in my heart. It has been an exciting challenge and a great reason to give the Lord our constant praise. Let all that we do, all day long, be our worship. God brought us a Christmas miracle early, and we pray the same for you and your church. It is a thrill to see the hand of God.
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