Good morning.  Most of you know who I am.  I am Bill Price, your Lay Leader.  I am the one who sits in the second row of the choir right there in the middle.   Besides being your Lay leader, I am the one who along with my wife Mildred sent you a letter last week.  It marked the beginning of our Stewardship Campaign for 2005.  Some of you mentioned it to me, some of you thanked me for it, but most of you said nothing, but I am not upset.  It was a difficult letter to write.  I had to ask you for money and here I am here today to give you more reasons and some strong persuasion to dig deeply into your pockets, but let’s have some fun in the process.

Let’s pretend we are at a big rally, a fund-raising event and we are asked to join in this cheer:  Give me an M, give me an O, give me an N, give me an E, give me a Y.  M-O-N-E-Y.  What does that spell?   Okay, now give me your money!  That didn’t work so now you have to listen to the whole sermon.  I wish the process of asking for money was that easy, but it isn’t.  That’s too simple, too meaningless, probably too greedy, not based on reason or scripture.

You may know that I am a retired teacher.  In my career, I have asked many questions and given many final exams and I have one for you today.  Imagine a final exam with only one question.  You are prepared for this test because you have been coming to church for many years.   You do not need paper or pencils.  Here’s the question:  What Does The Lord Require Of You?    What Does The Lord Require Of You? 

You all know the answer.  It was today’s scripture reading from Micah chapter 6: to do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.   What a perfect answer.  It is the kind of obedience God expects from his covenant people.    Let me tell you a story: back in New Jersey where I used to live there is a Jewish synagogue on the main street of the town with Micah’s words on the outside of the building.  It is a large impressive building, and on the right-hand side of the exterior of the building are the words: …to do justly, …to love mercy …and to walk humbly with your God.  Every time I passed that synagogue those words caught my attention.  Such a grand expression of their faith stated on the outside of the building for the whole community to see and to read everyday.  What does that say about that congregation and that synagogue?   If I were Jewish, I would want to be a member of that synagogue.  Wouldn’t you?    

Those words are not on our building, but they are the motivation for everything this church does.  We believe with all our hearts in those words and live the faith those words express each and everyday.   

The Prescott United Methodist Church is a special church, a devoted, dedicated church.  Look around at this building.  Does it remind you of a great cathedral; is it fancy and ornamental?  Are we more interested in buildings or service?  The building is utilitarian; it serves both the community and us.   During the building process we made a decision to remain downtown, in the center of the action unlike some other churches in Prescott that moved far out of the city.  We wanted to serve the community in which we live.  We should feel pleased about the work of this church.  You should feel good about supporting a church that does God’s work and ministers to God’s people. 

As Lay Leader I get to go to the exciting and fun Finance Committee meetings.  I have learned that 13.85% of our budget goes to support the ministries and mission projects of this church.  If we add in the apportionments, most of which goes to support the global ministries of the greater United Methodist Church that 13.85% increases to 31.9%.  That’s not astounding, that’s absolutely incredible and divinely wonderful.  Now listen carefully: those numbers do not include all the time, talents and efforts of our dedicated and faithful servants here at PUMC.   Such dedication supports all the ministries that serve our church members, the people in our community, our county, our state and the world.

Ladies and gentleman, this is a seven-day church not just one day a week church.  Pass this church any day at anytime and you will see some cars in the parking lot.  You will see people working, caring, listening, studying and learning.   That makes me feel good and proud to be Prescott United Methodist.  We truly have Open Hearts, Open Minds and Open Doors.

To do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God is the motto of this church. But listen to the these words from Romans 12: 1  “I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” 

That scripture says that we are not merely involved in ritual activity.  We are involved totally in service with heart, mind, and will.  That’s obedient service!  Exactly what God wants from believers here and now.  That will lead to our spiritual and moral growth as Christians and faithful servants.

Are we bankrupt of spiritually?  No way, Jose!  This church survives on your spiritual life and your faithful dedication to its ministries.  Are we bankrupt financially?  No!  Because you are faithful givers and supporters of all we do.  You are a generous people.  Nevertheless, every year we come and ask you to continue your support and increase that support.

When we put our priorities in order, first our spirituality, second our ministries and mission projects, then our generosity flows forth easily.

As an offering our giving is to be voluntary, willing and cheerful.   As believers we are to be generous by sharing our material possessions with the needy and support Christian ministries.  The principle of the 10% tithe may be a good goal; some may be able to give much more, some less, the only requirement I can find in the New Testament is to give cheerfully and willingly.

Now let me tell you why Mildred and I tithe to this church.   Mildred and I tithe, giving at least 10 percent of our income. We have done that virtually our whole married life, and for us it is simply a pattern of stewardship that is a part of our Christian discipleship. Often times when we total our year-end giving, we find that we have exceeded the 10 percent level, but that basic concept of tithe is the beginning of our stewardship.

Why do we tithe? Not for some of the reasons you might expect. 

1. We don’t tithe because it is good for the church or good for the church budget,
2. We don’t tithe because of feelings of guilt about “paying our dues” to the church;
3. And we don’t tithe because it is a biblical standard or rule to obey.
4. Those reasons might be important to others, but that is not our motivation. 
5. We tithe because we want to be givers and we want to be involved. 

We believe that giving is the secret to living, in all aspects of life. God has revealed this secret of giving by the giving/sending of His own Son for the world. We, who are recipients of God’s giving, are called to live our lives in this same style of giving.   The biblical model of tithing is not so much a rule, as it is a revelation. It is part of God’s design to teach us that giving is the secret to a full and complete life. God teaches us to give friendship to the stranger, to give love to our enemies, to give our lives away for the sake of the Gospel. The giving of our money and possessions is an important part of this discipleship, because giving frees us from being possessed by our possessions. Giving is never just a financial issue; giving is a spiritual issue. Giving is more than just a budgetary concern. Giving is one of the ways we express our faith. 

Yes, the secret to living is giving, and we want to be givers. That is why we tithe.   I ask you to join Mildred and me this fall as we commit a portion of our income, God’s tithe and our gifts, to the furtherance of God’s reign in our lives and the life of the church. If 10 percent seems too much for you to give, increase what you give by a couple of percents each year until you reach the tithe.

Mildred and I do not tithe by obligation; we tithe by joy!  Remember God likes a cheerful giver and we have learned how richly God blesses our lives when we give purely and simply without thought of self.

Therefore, let love be the motivation, not compulsion.  The more a person loves God the more he or she will want to give to see God’s work expand.  God is looking at our heart; therefore, give out of love, from the heart!

For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  (John 3:16)

Most people ignore this verse in the context of giving, but the example of God’s giving has to be the very foundation of ours.  Notice the three things about God’s giving:

1. His motivation was love.  (For God so loved the world…)
2. In giving of His Son he gave of Himself.   (…He gave His only begotten Son...)
3. God’s giving was in response to our need.  (That we should not perish.)

Let us follow His example.

Let us pray:

Gracious God, may all we do to further your work on earth be guided by love and the words of Micah: to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with you, our God.       Amen