TO:              FCC Members

FROM:        R. Morgan Daughety, Minister

DATE:         September 16, 2025

When Living Our Faith ends on September 21st, we will move to the next phase of our life together as church, which includes preparing a budget for 2026.  I hope you find joy in knowing that you will have made that part of our church life much easier by turning in a commitment card with an estimate of your giving for next year.  Everyone involved in making and following our annual budget is appreciative of that, for more than one reason. 

Although we do not use the word “pledge” any longer, the idea of making a significant financial commitment in writing may cause stress for some of us more than others.  We understand that.  First, we know that many among us are not really friendly with the term “pledge.”  It conjures words and ideas like “penalties,” and “collections,” and “intimidations.”  To some of us it may feel more like a business deal. 

By contrast, we hope that “committing,” and “sharing,” and “promising” are less offensive alternatives and that they may resonate more with your life as a person of faith.  Moreover, a commitment or a pledge are really just estimates.  All of us encounter things that are unexpected that cause us to change our plans, one way or another, and that applies to our financial plans.  Sometimes we have to move what we put into one pot into another.  It happens.  And, if you have more to share than you thought, all the better.  That happens sometimes, too.

The second thing to be considered here is accuracy.  Each year, our Trustees are tasked with creating a budget for our approval at a November congregational meeting.  The total derived from our commitment cards is an essential part of that planning.  And, I can tell you from firsthand observations that our Trustees do a lot of handwringing when there is a question mark in the formula for knowing what to expect about income for the coming year.  The more commitment cards we receive, the smaller that question mark appears. 

The final thing to consider here is priority.  Our theme this year has been “Yield Right-of-Way.” The term “right-of-way” refers to the legal right of a driver, pedestrian, or cyclist to go first in certain traffic situations.  More generally, right-of-way is a legal right of passage over another person’s ground. 

It stands to reason, then, that this can apply to situations other than those we encounter while driving.  In either case, in our society it is important to know the rules about who has the right-of-way. 

Moreover, what is of utmost importance to us – as a congregation of people who have decided to follow Jesus – is that Jesus had some interesting things to say about yielding the right-of-way.  I hope that this year’s Living Our Faith emphasis has given you opportunity to consider some of these, namely, our proximity to God, our responsibility to others, and our relationship with our possessions.  In the days leading up to September 21st, I hope you will be at prayer for all the members of our congregation, that we will all be empowered to yield the right-of-way to the leading of the Holy Spirit as we consider our financial gifts. 

If you have not already done so, I hope you will let us know you are attending the luncheon on September 21st.   And, between now and Sunday, spend some time praying about placing a commitment card in the offering plate as an act of worship.  I look forward to sharing that experience with you – as always – right here on the corner of Church and Main.  

_________________

R. Morgan Daughety

Senior Minister