Most Christians do not like to hear sermons or read articles on tithing, giving or personal stewardship.  Most Christians I know also would not want their level of financial stewardship to be made public.   Not because of privacy issues but because they/we know how pitiful is our level of giving back to God in support of  the ministries of Christ’s holy Church.

                  God is very much aware that most people at Duncan Memorial UMC do not tithe/ give as God’s Word demands.

                  “The Stewardship Commission of the National Council of Churches studied carefully tithing and giving and said that during the twentieth century, average giving among mainline Protestants in North America was 1.7 percent. This is a lot of money, and it’s nothing to sneeze at.  But American philanthropy is not biblical stewardship.

                   Biblical stewardship is directly related to Christian discipleship.  Christian discipleship is first and foremost about accepting the invitation of Jesus to “follow me.”  It is an individual’s response—with one’s whole life, all life long—to an encounter with Jesus Christ.  An intimate relationship with the risen Christ is at the heart of the matter.  Without that ongoing relationship, discipleship among the wealthy is impossible.  Wealthy Christians (all Duncan Memorial United Methodists) who desire to follow Jesus, therefore, must be thoroughly rooted  in their relationship with God.  The relationship needs to be watered and nurtured by spiritual disciplines such your prayers, presence, gifts and service in the body of Christ.

                   As His disciples we do not give our wealth to others; we willingly share it. We acknowledge that God wants all people to live with dignity and justice, and to enjoy the fullness of God’s creation.  When extreme economic inequality exists then the needs of the poor make a claim of the abundance to which we wealthy Christian brothers and sisters have access.  Paul writes: “As a matter of equality, our surplus at the present time should supply their needs, that there may be equality.”   

                    This means that as pastor of Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church I must challenge and remind members of this congregation to examine their level of financial stewardship and to share extravagantly and perhaps even sacrificially so that those in desperate need can simply have enough to live with dignity and hope.

                   This means that the sharing of a wealthy disciple is not guided simply by what the individual likes or feels good about supporting. It is guided by the pressing needs of others which lay claim to her or his abundance.

                    Again, if you are not presently tithing, I challenge you to prayerfully examine your present level of financial stewardship as you are called upon to make a financial commitment to this congregation for 2009. We give of our selves, of our resources freely to God because we are free to do so, and because we love God.

                                                              All for the sheer joy of serving Him,

                                                              I am—

                                                              Reverend William K. Dawson, Pastor

                                                              Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church