As history shows, inspiring generosity has always been part of the church’s Call to Deep Spirituality, Bold Discipleship and Daring Justice
In 1949, L. Maude Love, Secretary of the Woman’s Missionary Society of the United Church of Canada, wondered:
“Should the [WMS] accept a program of ‘Advance’ for this year of 1949? Is it possible for our Society to do more than it has been doing? Our membership has been giving more money each year for the last ten years! Is it reasonable to expect them to continue to increase their offerings? How can we hope to reach an increased allocation, when living expenses in Canada are so subject to inflation?”
As part of my own Centennial celebrations, I’ve been doing some research on the history of stewardship within the United Church of Canada. As Community of Faith stewardship support staff, I often hear things like, “In the past, we never had to ask for money. It just came in.” I wondered if that was true.
After sifting through a handful of old magazines and some more modern resources inviting offerings to Mission and Service (and its predecessors), I can tell you…. it’s not true. The money did not magically show up. We’ve always had to be bold and clear about asking for it. The cover of the issue of Missionary Monthly that L. Maude was contributing to read in bold letters, “Advance: Let’s Act Now for More Members, More Money, More Missionaries.” No confusing that invitation!
Later, in the 1970s, the United Church made the link between money and ministry just as clear. A poster from the “Live/Love” campaign read:
“EVERY YEAR WE ARE DOING LESS WORK! WHY? Because receipts are falling, because costs are increasing. We believe United Church people have the financial resources. WE DON’T BELIEVE United Church people want the work of their church curtailed. WILL YOU THINK ABOUT THIS—AND THEN ACT?”
When this millennial gets past the feeling of being yelled at by this all-caps font, what is clear to me from all these publications over the past century is that inviting deeper generosity and asking for money to support our ministry has always been a part of our lives together and our calling as disciples of Jesus.
But why do we need more? There is a way to read some of these materials as shaming, as in “We need more because you haven’t done enough.” Oof. Coming out of World War II, where so many had sacrificed so much to benefit others, I can understand how L. Maud Love pushed back, essentially asking, “But how can we give more?”
A scarcity mentality can often be found in many or most of our communities of faith, and while it’s true that financial deficits both locally and nationally are the norm, it’s not true that the scarcity comes from a lack of generosity in our people. Could individual people be giving more—then and now? You bet. But our United Church history is also full of stories of unimaginable, sacrificial generosity. Both now and then, people gave and gave and gave…. and then gave some more. Their financial gifts have literally changed the world, and will continue to do so long into the future.
Friends, we need more because of something more true and faithful than balancing the budget. We need more money because God’s work is not done yet. Unfortunately, we have not yet worked ourselves out of a job as God’s Commonwealth has not come yet. There is still peace to be won, justice to be fought for, hearts to be healed, neighbours to be fed and served. And while any one of those things remain, we must keep giving so that Christ may be made known.
L. Maud Love answered her own question in the next paragraph of her article, writing:
“The air is full of questions but let us add one more: dare we refuse to ‘Advance’ in our work of Christian Missions in a world where there is such desperate need for the peace and security, which can only be achieved by a worldwide spirit of good will? The Christian Church must restudy its task and accept its full responsibility.”
As we face the next 100 years of being the church together, I am so grateful for the generosity of so many who have enriched my life and have made the world a better place. Likely, you are one of those people. Thank you. And, while it might be hard to imagine giving more than we are, we can’t stop now.
—Rev. Brenna Baker is the Community of Faith Stewardship Support for the Southwest Ontario Regions.
The views contained within these blogs are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of The United Church of Canada.