Chapter 23

Did you come away from reading Lillian Daniel’s chapter, “Money Off the Shelf”, inspired to truth-telling and tithing?  Didn’t she do a fine job of capturing the nuances and ambiguities, the attractions and repulsions, the spiritual struggles that bubble up and over in congregations as pastors and people talk (or don’t talk) about money and giving?  Some coffee and conversation about this chapter would be a great beginning for a congregation preparing for the annual gathering of pledges.

You’re welcome to practice a bit of that conversation in this space!

 

Was it easy for you to resonate with the image of offering plates hidden away on a little shelf out of view?  Rev. Daniels helped us to recognize that our resistance to conversations about money is not the simple expression of a social grace, but often the expression of painful fears, anger, and shame about money we have learned from childhood.  A congregation is a family made up of families.  Plenty of fear, anger, and shame about money to go around!  Where is it safe to tell the stories that shape our feelings about money?    

I tithe.  I understand that Jesus didn’t teach and preach using fractions like 1/10^th.  He used other sorts of numbers, like “all” and “everything”.  He invited us to a way of living that was lavishly generous. What experiences have you had as you tried to apply “Jesus math” to your earning and spending? 

Like Rev. Daniels, I experience both the pull beyond tithing and the pull toward things.  There’s plenty of tension and motion in my thoughts and prayers (more tension and motion than progress, for sure) about material comforts and things.  Do disciples buy bubble bath (I do love bubble bath)?  How many pairs of shoes should a disciple have?  What decisions have you made about possessions that bear witness to your faith?  Do you feel comfortable and welcome to talk about these sorts of questions and decisions in your congregation? 

I’ll watch for your posts as we share both our odd and our wondrous experiences with taking money off the hidden shelf.

Jonna Jensen, Associate Conference Minister for Eastern Iowa