Pew Sheet, Sunday, October 6th 2024. Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity and ‘Generous Giving Sunday’

In our Exodus reading today, we see how giving was generated in the ancient Israelites by a stirring of the heart which was inspired by the Holy Spirit as a response to the need to build the Tabernacle (or Tent of Meeting) so that God could dwell in their midst. The events in the passage follow the renewal of the covenant between God and God’s people when God promised to give them a homeland so long as they did not turn aside to worship false gods and obeyed all that God commanded them to do. We read how those who were able and moved by the Spirit voluntarily brought gifts to erect the Tabernacle and to provide for the worship which would take place there. But there is another valuable lesson to be learned from the passage, in that those with skills such as building or spinning, weaving or carpentry were also asked to contribute towards its completion, offering their time and energy so that everyone in the community, whether rich or poor, could participate in making a place where God could reside with his people. The outcome of their labours was a source of blessing as God made his dwelling in their midst and would not leave them until the sin and apostasy of their descendants led them into exile in a foreign land once more many centuries later.

Joshua Townson, Generous Giving Advisor for Oxford Diocese, points out that the same thing happens when we support the work of the Church in our own communities, for in doing so, we are not just responding to need; but are also showing our commitment to the incarnational presence of Christ in our local communities, not because we are obliged to, but because we want to. The fact that God wants us to give freely, and not just because we are ordered to do so is one of the most striking themes in this passage, and in our passage from the Book of Acts, which reminds us that the early believers laid their gifts at the apostles’ feet because they were, ‘of one heart and soul’, or in other words, giving because it pleased them to do so, and not because they were obliged to do it. It was a response to the work of the Holy Spirit which enabled both the care of the poor and the facilitation of the apostle’s ministry, just as it enabled Aaron and the priests to do their work in that early tabernacle.

It is so easy when talking about Christian stewardship to become legalistic or anxious about our giving, but that is not what God wants. We are instead called to give what we can give in good conscience, cheerfully and willingly, having been honest with God, and prayerfully considered what God would
have us give. As a rule of thumb, The Church of England suggests giving 5% of take-home pay to the local church and 5% to other charities, but not everyone of course can afford this, especially if they have dependents or little control over their outgoings. As a general principle however, it is a good target to aim for, since giving a little regularly is one way to ensure that money and riches do not come to dominate our lives as they did that rich young ruler in our Gospel passage who simply could not give them up to follow Jesus, even if he yearned to do so. There may also be seasons in our lives when we can afford to give more as we acquire more, but in all these things, God looks on the heart, not on the gift itself, and our willingness to receive gladly, hold lightly, and give generously of all that we have been given when God asks.

Collect

God of grace, ever creating and restoring, you breathe life into all things

and embrace us with an everlasting love. Help us to grow in wonder and awe, to embody a spirit of gratitude, and to dream generous dreams; so that in gathering what we have, we may graciously offer ourselves to accomplish what you will, in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Exodus 35:4-29

Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “This is the thing that the Lord has commanded. Take from among you a contribution to the Lord. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the Lord’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze; blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; goats’ hair, tanned rams’ skins, and goatskins; acacia wood, oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, and onyx stones and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breast-piece.
“Let every skilful craftsman among you come and make all that the Lord has commanded: the tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its hooks and its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; the ark with its poles, the mercy seat, and the veil of the screen; the table with its poles and all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; the lampstand also for the light, with its utensils and its lamps, and the oil for the light; and the altar of incense, with its poles, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle; the altar of burnt offering, with its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils, the basin and its stand; the hangings of the court, its pillars and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court; the pegs of the tabernacle and the pegs of the court, and their cords; the finely worked garments for ministering in the Holy Place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests.”
Then all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the Lord’s contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. So they came, both men and women. All who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and armlets, all sorts of gold objects, every man dedicating an offering of gold to the Lord. And everyone who possessed blue or purple or scarlet yarns or fine linen or goats’ hair or tanned rams’ skins or goatskins brought them. Everyone who could give silver or bronze brought it as the Lord’s contribution. And those who possessed acacia wood of any use in the work brought it. And every skilful woman spun with her hands, and they all brought what they had spun in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. All the women whose hearts stirred them to use their skill spun the goats’ hair. And the leaders brought onyx stones and stones to be set, for the ephod and for the breast-piece, and spices and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense. All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the Lord had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the Lord.

Acts 4:32-37

Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”). He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Matthew 19:16-end

Then someone came to him and said, ‘Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?’ And he said to him, ‘Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.’ He said to him, ‘Which ones?’ And Jesus said, ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honour your father and mother; also, You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ The young man said to him, ‘I have kept all these; what do I still lack?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’ When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astounded and said, ‘Then who can be saved?’ But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.’
Then Peter said in reply, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.

Please pray for:

Peace, and for all those working for peace in areas of conflict and violence.

Monday

Bell ringing at 7.30pm in St Laurence. Contact Jan on 07835 461361.

Tuesday

Zoom Morning Prayer at 9am ID: 748 9970 4493 Password: Trinity or contact Didier on [email protected]

Wednesday (Robert Grosseteste, Bishop of Lincoln, Philosopher, 1253)

Morning Coffee from 10.00-11.45 in the St Laurence Rooms.

Midweek Holy Communion at 12.00 noon, St Laurence Church.

Thursday (Paulinus, Bishop of York, Missionary, 644)

Friday (Ethelburga, Abbess of Barking, 675)

Junior Choir at 6.30pm, followed by full Choir Practice at 7.30pm.

Pastoral Care: Call 07305 271148 or email [email protected]