Dear Friends in Christ,
In Sunday's gospel we hear a line of questioning that could be worthy of a Presidential debate. Hoping to trap him in giving a good soundbite, the Pharisees ask Jesus, "Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?"
The Pharisees knew that there was an expectation in the Jewish religion of tithing--giving back to God of the things that God's people received. And they also knew that the emporer's government was an occupying force over and above the Jewish religious and civic authorities. Whatever Jesus said, he was bound to get on someone's bad side.
Jesus's answer rings in our ears today: "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's." (Matthew 22:21b, Authorized Version)
Jesus's answer at once acknowledges our temporal responsibilities. We must pay taxes for the common good. We must buy groceries and pay for clothing and shelter. Rendering unto the physical world part of what God has given us is, in part, how we make a life together. How we care for ourselves, for our families, and for those around us.
But his answer also draws our attention to the greater authority--to God who made and holds all things--to whom Creation and our very lives belong.
What does that mean to render unto God the things that are God's?
Do we give of our money? Do we give of our time? Do we give our lives, our work, our wills?
Yes. To all of it.
There's an old offertory sentence that I like that encapsulates the idea for me: "All things come of thee, O Lord, and of thine own have we given thee." All things are God's. Anything that belongs to us, anything that's given to us, is for a time. Why wouldn't we then give just a part of that back to God to be blessed and returned for God's work of reconciliation in the world?
Over the next few weeks I and parish leaders will be asking you to think about what belongs to God--and what you will give back to God for the coming of God's kingdom in this next calendar year.
Even in the midst of the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic the consistent, faithful pledging--and fulfillment of those pledges--by members of this parish have kept our shared ministry operating. Folks are praying and getting to know Jesus. Folks are being fed. The sacraments are being celebrated. God's work of reconciliation continues, and you have joined in it through giving of yourselves. Thank you.
This year thanks to your pledges and to a fortuitous PPP loan from the CARES Act, we will meet budget this year with the lowest endowment draw on record. Next year will be tougher, however, as economic downturn from the coronavirus will continue--and our corresponding revenue may continue to suffer.
Be in touch if circumstances have changed and you are unable to pledge in the same way in 2021 because of the coronavirus. You are not alone in this difficult time.
But if you are able to, please consider an increase for 2021 to help offset the revenue losses anticipated next year.
Pray over the next few weeks about what you can do, and the treasurer will be in touch shortly with more information and a pledge card.
It's a privilege to join together with you in returning to God just a part of the blessings that God has given us. I know that God will continue to take this faithfulness and bless it, returning it for the healing of the city and world--and continuing God's reconciling work even in this most difficult time.
Yours in the hope of Christ's resurrection,
Yours faithfully in Christ,
