This lectionary-based resource is here to help you preach confidently not just about money, but about generosity in every sense.
Preaching Generosity is a new, weekly, bite-sized preaching resource, produced by the Diocese of Rochester in partnership with St Augustine’s College of Theology and the National Giving Team of the Church of England.
Each week, a short sermon idea drawn from one of that week’s Common Worship lectionary readings will be made available to give preachers the tools to become comfortable and confident in preaching about generosity.
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January 2023
In the economy of grace, the cost is met, and we are invited in to participate in new ways of living
‘But who pays?’ asks the wise Mrs Beddows in Winifred Holtby’s famous novel South Riding. It is a question that helps us think about the dynamics of grace and generosity in our difficult Gospel reading today. Herod causes the little boys to pay in this awful narrative. He has power, they do not. He cannot accept the good news brought to him by the wise men, so they suffer.
‘Who pays?’ we can ask as we look at our world, beautiful but marred by sin and injustice. Who pays for the high levels of consumption and waste this festive season? We know it is the environment and the poorest members of our society, here and far away. We believe that Jesus offers us a deeper reality, one in which God in divine generosity breaks this cycle. In the economy of grace, the cost is met, and we are invited in to participate in new, equitable ways of living.
Alison Fulford is Vicar of Audlem, Wybunbury and Doddington, and also Rural Dean of Nantwich in the Diocese of Chester.
We are chosen, holy, redeemed, forgiven, and drenched in grace.
Many of us are blessed to know the privilege and wonder of being parents. (Yes, there’s toil and struggle too, but that’s off-topic!) Giving good things to our beloved children is sheer joy. In this passage of superlatives, we’re swept along in a tidal wave of blessings in Christ, poured out by a loving Father.
Two of our three children are adopted, and we’re aware of the even deeper intentionality which powers our love for them, through their chosen-ness and their rescue from peril.
The word “lavished” is so wonderful, telling of an exuberant, extravagant, sumptuously rich generosity. Our heavenly Father bestows on us the full measure of all the spiritual blessings accorded to us as beloved adopted children. We are chosen, holy, redeemed, forgiven, and drenched in grace. Our new purpose? To bring God glory. And emulating the lavish character of the Father is an excellent place to start.
Clare Masters was Lay Minister at Bidborough, St Lawrence and Southborough, St Peter in the Diocese of Rochester.
Offering gifts to God has always been part of Christian discipleship.
Material gifts carry symbolic value, some kind of communication about relationships. In the ancient world, they could convey allegiance, loyalty and submission. When the writers of Isaiah and Psalm 72 anticipate kings bringing gold and precious things to Zion and its anointed ruler, this is part of what they have in mind. It is clearly in the background too for Matthew’s account of the visit of the Magi.
Offering material gifts to God has always been part of Christian discipleship. It needn’t always be money, and it needn’t always be about ‘giving to the church’. But it says something about the relationship between us and God – God who does not need what we have but delights in what we offer.
With the growth of electronic donation, of various kinds, we could lose the traditional symbolic action of offering the people’s material gifts as part of Sunday worship. Does it matter?
Jeremy Worthen is Team Rector of Ashford Town Parish in the Diocese of Canterbury.
I give my heart to God
In the poem by Christina Rosetti “In The Bleak Mid-Winter”, the poet ponders on what she might give to God. “What shall I give him, poor as I am?”
The Psalmist had already arrived at the same conclusion which she did, “Yet what I can I give Him, — Give my heart.” The psalmist wonders at all the bountiful mercy that God has shown them and knows that they cannot begin to communicate God’s generosity adequately.
God asks in return not for sacrifices or any ritual burnt offerings. He requires the psalmist, and us, to have ears and hearts open both to him and the world. If we have both our ears and our hearts open to God then we hear what it is that he wants us to give to the world, communicating to it his faithfulness and salvation, his loving kindness and truth.
Pamela Ive is Parish Deacon in Capel, Tudeley & Five Oak Green, and Diocesan Director of Ordinands in the Diocese of Rochester.
What should we entrust to God’s generous love?
I am a list-maker: on my desk is well-used pad, listing all the things I need to do. I keep this list because I can’t keep all these tasks in my head! Are you also a list-maker? Our passages today remind me that there are some things I cannot add to my list, to try and achieve myself. For instance, when I walk in darkness, I cannot cause the light to shine on me – whether we take that in a literal, emotional or spiritual sense.
And again, I cannot create a stronghold for my own life, no matter how much I plan ahead. The Gospel account of the early days of Jesus’ ministry reveals him as the one who enacts God’s promises to save us. He displays God’s own loving kindness and generosity towards us.
What do we have on our inner ‘to-do’ lists that we should be entrusting to God’s love for us instead?
Alison Fulford is Vicar of Audlem, Wybunbury and Doddington, and also Rural Dean of Nantwich in the Diocese of Chester.
Something out of nothing
‘Can I afford it?’ is a question we often ask in life, counting and measuring our resources to see if we’ve got enough to cover what’s being asked of us. It’s not just a money thing; we do it with our time, our energy, our patience, our hospitality – working out whether we have enough for what’s needed.
This first ‘sign’ in John’s Gospel is about Jesus giving a generous gift when, on the face of it, he had nothing to give. The wine had run out, and there was no off-licence round the corner. If the wedding wasn’t to sink into disaster, something needed to come out of virtually nothing. From six clay jars of water came an abundance of the finest wine.
When life leaves us feeling over-stretched and like we can’t ever be enough, give enough or do enough, this story brings hope:
• Jesus’ ministry was full of ‘multiplication miracles’ like this – moments when he took what was inadequate and made it into far more than enough. Was he showing what God’s Kingdom is like?
• The jars were made of clay and full of water, both of which often symbolise humanity. When we offer our humanness to Jesus, he can use us to do things we never dreamed possible.
• In Jesus’ hands, the insufficient and inadequate became a gift of stunning generosity.
When generosity feels too difficult, our resources too meagre, we place ourselves in Jesus’ hands, trusting God to multiply, to bring something out of nothing.
Lyndall Bywater is a freelance writer, speaker and broadcaster. She is the author of Prayer in the Making (Bible Reading Fellowship) and Faith in the Making (Bible Reading Fellowship).
February 2023
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For his steadfast love endures forever
Saying Psalm 136 aloud in a liturgical context brings its own particular challenges. It is easy for the refrain to start feeling a bit - well, repetitive. ‘For his steadfast love endures forever’ we drone, wondering how many more times before this interminable list comes to an end.
Yet there is something very powerful about reading this psalm aloud, at a steady pace, and hearing our voices say those words over and over again, declaring that the basis of every response we make is the prior reality of the goodness of God.
Our thanksgiving, our experience of the beauty of the world, our capacity to offer praise and thanks: all these depend on the loving and lavish provision of God. We could extend and continue the Psalm by listing all the ways in which we daily experience God’s generosity and then discover our own hands and hearts, wallets and diaries, opening up in joyful gratitude.
So God’s steadfast love is boring? This psalm gently invites us to move beyond our jaded desire for novelty and to savour the repeated refrain, rather than skip past it in our haste for - what exactly?
The Rev’d Canon Dr Helen Burn is Vicar of St Justus, Rochester, in the Diocese of Rochester
A call to generosity and a warning
Today, many churches will hear the account of the Transfiguration and the disciples’ experience of Christ in his true glory. What is may be less well-known is that the Greek word used in the text gives us the English word metamorphosis (meta “change” and morphe “form”).
The best-known example of a metamorphosis in the animal kingdom is the butterfly, but in the realm of generosity, a good example of this is Ebenezer Scrooge. It is one of the most powerful redemption stories in English literature, with a truly hateful character experiencing a complete and utter transformation.
Scrooge, who starts as a “squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner”, is metamorphosed into a generous man who exclaims “I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel.” It’s a Zacchaeus-like journey of absolution and a call to generosity as well as a warning against hoarding wealth.
In this upcoming season of Lent, how might the empowering presence of our glorious Christ metamorphose (transfigure) us more and more into becoming the people of God?
Fabian Wuyts is Vicar of St James’, Taunton in the Diocese of Bath and Wells.
Secure in God, we turn outwards to kindness and generosity
The Genesis story begins with a man and a woman in a garden, living in contentment, enjoying the company of their Creator. Three chapters later, they’re estranged from God and bereft of that deep sense of wellbeing.
It’s hard to know whether Adam and Eve were generous when they lived in the garden, the author of the story doesn’t paint that much detail for us. But our knowledge of human nature would suggest that they probably felt more inclined to generosity when they were content than when they were not.
Their journey from paradise to alienation was aided by the Serpent who cross-examined Eve with one devastatingly clever question: ‘Did God really say?’ And followed by a killer argument: ‘God doesn’t want you to eat the fruit because God doesn’t really want the best for you’. Fast-forward to the New Testament and we find Jesus facing those same tactics: God’s word being questioned, and doubt being cast on God’s goodness.
Jesus must have had to hold very tight to the comfort and reassurance which his Father in Heaven had spoken over him at his baptism.
When we doubt God’s goodness, our energies are redirected inwards towards self-preservation and self-protection. When we find our security in God, we are more able to resist the whispers casting doubt, and our energies turn outwards to kindness and generosity.
Lyndall Bywater is a freelance writer, speaker and broadcaster. She is the author of Prayer in the Making (Bible Reading Fellowship) and Faith in the Making (Bible Reading Fellowship).
March 2023
The generous God calls us to be his generous people so all people might be blessed
These wonderful verses lie right at the heart of our faith because this is where God begins saving humanity. Genesis 1-11 describes the goodness of God’s creation followed by the spiritual and moral demise of humanity. Genesis 12 kicks off the story of salvation. Verse 3 sums up the goal of God’s saving work, ‘through you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ That in itself is an extraordinary statement of generosity.
When humanity has disobeyed God (Adam and Eve), turned in on itself (Cain and Abel), broken the structures of the universe (the angel ‘marriages’ and Noah), and joined together in hubris (Babel), why should God want to bless humanity? This is also a story of incredible hope and faith.
Given humanity’s record to date, how on earth did God think that humanity could produce a people of blessing? But this is precisely the center of our story of salvation: the generous God calls us into being his generous people, so that all people might be blessed. It starts with the children of Abraham and, following Jesus’ commands to his disciples (Mathew 28:18-20), goes out to all nations.
Generosity is in our DNA. If we are children of God, called into his covenant people, then this is simply who we are. So, in a world where we spend so much time and effort desperately trying to claim and justify our identity, why not instead, just bless as God calls us to?
Andy Angel is Vicar of St Andrew’s, Burgess Hill in the Diocese of Chichester, and author of a number of books including The Jesus you Really Didn’t Know: Rediscovering the Teaching Ministry of Jesus (Cascade Books).
Harden not your hearts. God will provide
The waters of Meribah and the incident that took place there are rooted in Israel’s collective memory. The word Meribah means ‘quarrel’ and signifies more than a disagreement, rather a fundamental rejection of God’s means of provision. Exodus 17 vividly depicts a people feeling desperate and lashing out.
Just in case we might forget our own propensity for distrust and disobedience, Morning Prayer on Friday begins with Psalm 95’s warning: ‘O that today you would listen to his voice! Harden not your hearts as at Meribah…’
What is at the heart of the panic and complaining? Scarcity and fear come to mind, and we know from behaviour during the Covid pandemic that these two forces often bring out the worst in people. It is possible that PCC discussions around finances, parish share and the budget have the potential to go in a similar direction.
Yet God does provide what is needed. This is the message of the wilderness, over and over again. When the people are able to move beyond panic and blame, there is enough. If we unharden our hearts we will hear God’s voice and be able to receive.
The Rev Canon Dr Helen Burn is Vicar of St Justus, Rochester, in the Diocese of Rochester
Look for a grateful, generous heart in the midst of challenge
Last summer, I had the privilege to travel to Burundi, one of the poorest countries in the world. Despite the poverty, many of the people I met had generous hearts, including Elisha who, with his wife, had been refugees in Tanzania for more than a decade.
Despite the hardship he and his family endured, Elisha looked back with gratitude to God for his provision and faithfulness. He had walked through very dark valleys, but he also experienced the Shepherd’s comfort and protection. He had been hungry, cold, tired and frightened, but the Lord finally made him lie in greener pastures, led him to stiller waters and restored his soul.
Events and realities that would have embittered many had the opposite effect on him. When I think of Elisha, I want to be more like him, grateful, generous and free.
Is there someone in your life that stirs your heart to be more generous and free? If not, why not look for someone, and continually look to the Lord, the good shepherd, who can help you form a generous, grateful heart in the midst of the challenges you may face.
Fabian Wuyts is Vicar of St James’, Taunton in the Diocese of Bath and Wells..
Speaking of love and courage and hope lets the Spirit breathe life
In one of his visions, the Prophet Ezekiel found himself in a truly grim place, a valley full of bones, death and decay on every side. It was a visual representation of the despair felt by his people as they lived with the grief of exile. They were saying, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is lost. We are cut off completely.’
What to do in such a bleak situation? God’s answer was to invite Ezekiel to tell a different story, and as he dug deep, voicing words of faith and positivity which must have seemed totally incongruous in that valley of death, the very bones started coming to life.
To choose to speak out words of hope when everything seems hopeless is an act of profound generosity. When negativity sets in, it’s costly to invest in the belief that things can be different, and it can be even costlier to voice that belief. What if we’re wrong? What if things don’t come together in the way we hope they will? Yet the hold of hopelessness is only broken when someone has the faith to imagine a different story and the courage to speak it out.
As Ezekiel spoke that prophecy of life, life began to spring up all around him. When we choose to be generous with our words, speaking love instead of hate, courage instead of fear, hope instead of despair, the Spirit breathes life into those around us.
Lyndall Bywater is a freelance writer, speaker and broadcaster. She is the author of Prayer in the Making (Bible Reading Fellowship) and Faith in the Making (Bible Reading Fellowship).
April 2023
A church which has tired of rejoicing is in need of a pause
In the part of the psalm the lectionary omits, we see the LORD God rescue his servant – most likely the Davidic king from defeat in battle against his enemies. This is why the psalmist is so excited in verses 19-24 of this song. God has rescued them from political and military aggression.
The worshippers (most likely) accompany the psalmist towards the temple and they are having a party. God has been good and they want to worship God in his holy temple: “I thank you that you have answered me and become my salvation” (verse 21).
The praises of verses 19-24 come out in something of a splurge – almost like a very excited prayer meeting with lots of people praising God at once. (This text does not, at least on the surface, exhibit the logical flow of ideas we might find in a more reflective text).
But this teaches us something about generosity. It is good and worth celebrating. A church which has grown tired of rejoicing in God’s goodness in saving us is a church in need of a pause – to reflect on what truly matters. Holy Week gives just such a pause as we enter into it.
When we immerse ourselves in Jesus’ astoundingly generous gift of his life that rescues us from our enemies (sin, death, and the devil), we have the opportunity to reconnect with the exuberant generosity of God once again and let gratitude fill our hearts once more.
Andy Angel is Vicar of St Andrew’s, Burgess Hill in the Diocese of Chichester, and author of a number of books including The Jesus you Really Didn’t Know: Rediscovering the Teaching Ministry of Jesus (Cascade Books).
Be of one mind
I love singing “At the Name of Jesus” – it’s a great hymn and it captures the second half of this ancient Christian song brilliantly although it only nods to the first half. One of the various things I note about much contemporary hymns and songs is that they are focused on Jesus’ victory and ourselves as recipients of God’s blessing.
Little could be further removed from the point Paul makes here as he either quotes or possibly writes this hymn. “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus” (verse 5a), says Paul. In other words, let’s have the mind of Christ. Specifically, he is trying to urge the Philippians to generosity of spirit. He makes a heartfelt plea that the congregation should be of one mind.
Later in the letter, Paul urges Euodia and Syntyche to be of one mind (Philippians 4:2). They are clearly not of one mind and their arguments within the congregation are causing enough of a problem for Paul to single them out. They are probably ministers as they have clearly ministered alongside Paul. Ministry can burn people out. Something has happened between these former co-workers in the gospel.
Paul calls for them to exercise the generosity of spirit that Jesus himself showed us in giving his life in the cross. This call probably felt pretty costly. The call to generosity of spirit often is, but it is something to which we are all called if we belong to Christ.
Andy Angel is Vicar of St Andrew’s, Burgess Hill in the Diocese of Chichester, and author of a number of books including The Jesus you Really Didn’t Know: Rediscovering the Teaching Ministry of Jesus (Cascade Books).
Bring new creation out of what was broken and dead
What a richness of readings on this Easter Day. Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
Preachers are keen on pointing out to once-a-year Christmas congregations that Jesus is not just for Christmas, but for all year round. The same is true of Easter: the message of Christ risen and the overflowing life of God poured out for us is not for a short season, but is a reality to inhabit every single day.
As the Psalmist reminds us: ‘This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.’ Resurrection is perhaps the ultimate expression of the extravagance of God, bringing a new creation out of what was broken and dead.
Colossians reminds us that our vision and priorities are to be aligned - where we set our minds is where our decisions and commitments will follow. How do we invest ourselves in the ‘things that are above’? Beginning and ending each day with gratitude for what God has done in raising Christ from the grave is one way in which we can keep our eyes fixed on eternal realities.
The Rev Canon Dr Helen Burn is Vicar of St Justus, Rochester, in the Diocese of Rochester..
God’s goodness and generous heart towards his creation
Last week most of us exchanged the traditional Easter greeting “he is risen!” and the traditional response “He is risen, indeed!” It’s a joyful exchange celebrating God’s goodness and generous heart towards his creation. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God’s plan of rescue is open to all.
Those who receive the gift are given a “new birth into a living hope” and an “inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading”. What’s more, they are “being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed”. These realities are generous gifts made available through Christ. How can we show our gratitude towards such a generous God?
One possibility in this Easter season is using the Prayer of Generosity by St Ignatius:
Lord Jesus, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve as you deserve,
To give and not to count the cost,
To fight and not to heed the wounds,
To labour and not to seek to rest,
To give of myself and not ask for a reward,
Except the reward of knowing that I am doing your will.
Fabian Wuyts is Vicar of St James’, Taunton in the Diocese of Bath and Wells.
Hospitality which leads to communion
There’s a verse in the Epistle to the Hebrews which says that if we extend hospitality to strangers, we can unwittingly end up entertaining angels. For the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, this meeting was even better than an angelic encounter. This was a meeting with the risen Jesus himself.
Did they want to welcome him into their conversation? Would they have preferred to keep themselves to themselves? Grief often causes us to close down so as to protect ourselves from the pain of uncomfortable conversations and intrusive questions. At first it was indeed an uncomfortable conversation. This strange man seemed to know nothing of the events which had caused them such pain.
The choice to open up, in spite of their pain, may have been the most life-changing thing they ever did. As they gave him the precious gift of their story, sharing their heartbreak and sorrow, he led them into hope.
We tend to think of generosity as being something to do with giving positive things, like our money, our time, our talents, our energy, or our love, but anyone who has ever had the privilege of listening to another person share their grief will attest to the fact that it is just as precious a gift as those other things.
Then, as they neared their overnight accommodation, they offered him hospitality again, welcoming him to eat and lodge with them – generosity that opened the way for a profound moment of communion and revelation.
Lyndall Bywater is a freelance writer, speaker and broadcaster. She is the author of Prayer in the Making (Bible Reading Fellowship) and Faith in the Making (Bible Reading Fellowship).
The Father sends the Son who generously welcomes us to the party
Corny church sub-culture jokes apart (“I have come that they might have life and have it in abundance [pronounced a barn dance]”), these are amazing words. Why should Jesus have left the Father’s side where he enjoyed perfect love in order to show the Father’s love to us (John 1:18)?
The gospel of John gives the answer. The Father and the Son so love each other, and so love the world, that they together agree that Jesus will reveal the love they share to the world and – despite rejection by many – will share that love with those who will receive it, and teach those who receive it to share it with others.
The plotline of the gospel of John is the cascade of love from the symposium of heaven to earth. A symposium is a party with plenty of good food, great drink, engaging conversation and laughter amongst beloved friends. It’s true, I cannot prove beyond doubt that John 1:18 pictures the Father and Son at this kind of party but they cannot be in the court of heaven on separate thrones as the Word is in the breast of the Father – the position taken for reclining at such parties in the Greek and Roman world, and the one the beloved disciple takes in Jesus’ breast (John 13:23) at the supper which John makes look remarkably like one of these parties.
I like this image: the Father sends the Son who generously welcomes us to the party.
Andy Angel is Vicar of St Andrew’s, Burgess Hill in the Diocese of Chichester, and author of a number of books including The Jesus you Really Didn’t Know: Rediscovering the Teaching Ministry of Jesus (Cascade Books).
May 2023
The salvation of the world has been brought about by God in Christ
This well-loved passage from John’s Gospel tells us that what Jesus, and the Father, desire is that those who believe will experience the power of God at work through them as it was through Jesus. It is that simple. We can get bogged down in budgets and finance and easily forget what our church efforts are for - what are trying to achieve?
In the Genesis and John readings, the agency is all with God. God renews the flooded earth and releases Noah and all in the ark when it is time; at the right time, Jesus will return to the Father and prepare a place for those who know and abide in him. Our role in the great drama of salvation is to respond faithfully to the initiative of God. What a relief! It is not all down to us.
The salvation of the world has been brought about by God in Christ, and our role is to offer gladly whatever we can and let God do the rest. This allows us to be radically generous and to trust that the God who renewed the face of the earth is still engaged in the work of re-creation.
The Rev Canon Dr Helen Burn is Vicar of St Justus, Rochester, in the Diocese of Rochester
In Christ we are not on our own any more
In my Bible, the title of this passage is “Jesus promises the Holy Spirit.” The title I would like instead is “you are not your own and you are not on your own!” Jesus promised to his disciples, and by extension to all his followers, that they would not be on their own.
The “Paraclete” translated as Comforter, Advocate or sometimes Helper is with us, as Jesus was with his disciples. He is the Spirit of truth, who lives with us and who is in us. God’s own presence cannot be closer and more permanent than that! The Spirit of God opens our eyes, our mind and our heart to the personal reality of the trinity and our inclusion in the very life of God.
Anyone caught up in the very life of God, who is the Eternally Self-Giving One, will have a growing desire to express this generous self-giving in his or her own life and context. In Christ we are not our own anymore, and with the presence of God’s Spirit we are not on our own. The life of the Spirit will produce fruit and among these is generosity.
Fabian Wuyts is Vicar of St James’, Taunton in the Diocese of Bath and Wells.
Being humble in our generosity enables us to be rooted in our hearts and our faith
Humility holds a strong link when we practice generosity. It grounds our actions of giving in the deepest places of our hearts, and springboards generosity from a place of compassion and a desire for something greater than our own self-gratification. Sometimes when we give, we can have a habit of wanting that generosity to be seen, to be congratulated or admired – but this attitude makes the act of giving self-centred rather than Christ-centred. Being humble in our generosity enables us to be much more rooted in our hearts and our faith, giving not because we want to be put on a pedestal, but because we want the glory of God to shine from those actions. Humility in generosity is therefore a spiritual discipline to be grown as part of our Christian discipleship, following Jesus’ example, and leading us to a place where our giving points not to ourselves, but beyond itself to reveal the glory of our generous God.
Sammi Tooze is the Discipleship and Strategy Adviser in the Diocese of York, and is also a member of General Synod and the Liturgical Commission, and a Trustee of the Parish Giving Scheme.
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews John 20:19
Fear is a very powerful driver, particularly fear of the unknown. On the day of Pentecost, the disciples were clearly still frightened of what might happen to them even 50 days after the events of Holy Week. By this time, though, I suspect the fear was pretty nebulous, yet still had a cumulative effect. Jesus broke through the fear by shear exuberant generosity. As with all his post-resurrection appearances, Jesus’ loving, open generosity contrasted with the mean, fear-ridden vindictiveness of the chief priests and authorities.
In the midst of their fear comes the unlooked-for generosity of Jesus, giving peace alongside the marks of the crucifixion; bestowing the Holy Spirit to fill their hearts with faith and love; offering forgiveness to give hope in a broken world. Generosity is contagious, and from this small act to a tiny group of disciples, hope spreads across the world.
The Rev’d Canon Dr Neil Evans is Residentiary Canon and Steward at St Paul’s Cathedral and was formerly Director of Ministry in the Diocese of London. He is the author of Developing Ministry: Handbook for effective Christian Learning and Training (SPCK).
June 2023
God’s generosity is enough for even the most flawed followers.
Can you remember the last time you let someone down, or wronged somebody, and felt worried about owning up to them? The feeling of anxiety as you imagine the next time you see them can cause lots of stress.
Well imagine the disciples meeting the resurrected Jesus. All of the disciples fled when he was arrested, and Peter denied him three times. They were his closest friends, and they abandoned him when he needed them. Yet here Jesus is, risen, meeting with the disciples and re-establishing their relationship, but it says some of them doubted. So how would Jesus respond to these deserters who still lacked faith? With love and generosity.
He does not rebuke them, but reassures them, and invites them into God’s mission. Moreover, he gives himself, and promises to be with them as they undertake this work. God’s generosity is enough for even the most flawed followers.
André Adefope is a curate based in Bolton. He has written two books, including ‘Same Cross New Questions: How Jesus brings connection in a world of loneliness and separation. For more info go to www.samecrossnewquestions.com
Blessings that are quite simply too precious to keep to ourselves.
‘Follow Me…’ Two words which changed a life, giving Levi hope and a future. Levi had sold his Jewish soul by collecting taxes for the Romans. The Jews despised him so much that even walking through his shadow sullied their piety. Levi exploited his insider knowledge of his community, knowing who could pay a bit more this time round, and making his living by adding his bonus onto their taxes.
So when Jesus stopped by his table one day, Levi expected to receive more Jewish contempt. Instead, Jesus saw past what Levi was and invited him to discover God’s abundant, joyful, eternal life. ‘Follow Me…’ When Levi, whom we know as Matthew the disciple and gospel writer, accepted Jesus’ invitation he left everything behind in a simple yet life-transforming step of faith.
Following Jesus can transform us too! When we respond to God’s cry to ‘know him and press on to know the Lord’ (Hosea 6:3) we follow the source of holiness, abundance, goodness and grace. Through him, we discover what it is to be completely free and forgiven, the joy of both receiving and sharing his abundant love and blessings. Blessings, which spring from the One who offers us, like Matthew, his unconditional, generous love, welcome and grace. Blessings that are quite simply too precious to keep to ourselves.
Bryony Wood is a priest serving in North Nottinghamshire/the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham. She is a writer whose first book, The Sound of Musings was published in May 2023.
When we receive graciously, we give someone else the joy and gift of giving.
Having received authority from Jesus, the twelve are sent out into the world – commissioned and trusted to be messengers of the Gospel – and are given instruction of what their ministry is to look like. The ministry of the Church today continues this mission, and so we too are to embrace the direction to receive and give without payment. Receiving without payment is surprisingly difficult for many of us, challenging our independence and vulnerabilities through accepting generosity from others with grace. It challenges our culture of transaction, instead providing a place where mutual giving and receiving becomes a joy-filled activity, ministering to and with one another. This joy naturally and organically enables giving to grow as we set our hearts and minds beyond the lens of transaction – and as we follow Jesus’ instruction to be a gracious receiver, we in turn give someone else the joy and gift of giving.
Sammi Tooze is the Discipleship and Strategy Adviser in the Diocese of York, and is also a member of General Synod and the Liturgical Commission, and a Trustee of the Parish Giving Scheme.
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground unperceived by your Father. Matthew 10:29
I am often struck by how small and limited Jesus’ earthly ministry was. In three short years he travelled around one of the smaller, more unfashionable parts of the Roman Empire; he healed a limited number of sick people, and the large crowds would have seemed paltry in Wembley Stadium. Yet from this tiny start a world was changed. Two sparrows, the smallest, poorest offering available in the Temple; two sparrows, easily scared off in the garden; two sparrows, known and valued by our heavenly Father.
Generosity not only begins small, but is acknowledged when it is truly generous, whatever its size. Although Jesus’ ministry might appear small in some ways, it cost him dearly; he was generous with his love, with his time, with his wisdom. Much of his time was spent with only 12 people, but his generous love shone through.
However small or large our offering might be, we are each able to be truly generous so that we too can notice the cost, whatever the size.
The Rev’d Canon Dr Neil Evans is Residentiary Canon and Steward at St Paul’s Cathedral and was formerly Director of Ministry in the Diocese of London. He is the author of Developing Ministry: Handbook for effective Christian Learning and Training (SPCK).
July 2023
Abraham was willing to give his most precious and best thing to God.
As Christians, we are good at praying when we need help. Or when we want to hand the ‘bad stuff’ over to God. For example, ‘God, please take away this guilt I have’, or ‘help me to overcome this bad habit’. However, we may not be so quick to hand over the ‘good stuff’. How often do we pray ‘God, all of my money is yours, not just the first 10 per cent’. Or ‘God, this status and power I have, take it away if you need to, because you mean more to me’.
Abraham was willing to give God his most precious and best thing, his son. God stops him and does indeed provide the sacrifice, the ram now, but later, God’s own son.
God, in his generosity, handed over the ‘good stuff’ for our benefit. We need to remember to be generous, and trust him, and hand over all of our ‘good stuff’ too.
André Adefope is a curate based in Bolton. He has written two books, including ‘Same Cross New Questions: How Jesus brings connection in a world of loneliness and separation. For more info go to www.samecrossnewquestions.com.
The relationship and rest that Jesus found in the Father is ours too.
There were times as a parent when I felt I couldn’t do right for doing wrong. So I learnt that rather than trying to justify myself in words, it was better to show by actions and attitudes. What we do is more powerful than what we can ever say. So it was with Jesus; he didn’t need to justify himself. He showed by his actions and attitudes who he was and what was important. The cross and empty tomb spoke louder than any speech ever could.
He showed how his identity, power and authority was integral with God the Father (Matthew 11.27). As he relied on and rested in his Father, we glimpse something of their eternal, divine relationship of mutual love and trust. Everything Jesus did was inspired by that; his timings and motivations, his wisdom and strength, climaxing at Calvary when he accepted the cup of suffering.
So when Jesus exhorts us to share our burdens with him, it’s not empty words or a shallow promise. He has experienced much, offered everything, so that we can discover the benefit of faith through him. The relationship and rest that Jesus found in the Father is ours too - by faith. What an inspiration to share such tangible, personal and lavish benefits of faith with others too.
Bryony Wood is a priest serving in North Nottinghamshire/the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham. She is a writer whose first book, The Sound of Musings was published in May 2023.
Money and possessions are a spiritual issue.
In the modern world, it is very easy to be drawn into materialism. As human beings, we value our independence, we like to hang on to what we think of as ours. We often perceive our resources and possessions as something we own and therefore hold full control over how they are used. This model of living is very much Paul’s understanding of ‘living by the flesh’ – living according to what we want and what we think we need.
If we are to ‘live according to the Spirit’, we turn this narrative on its head. As beings made in the image of God, our identity lies not in ourselves and our resources, but in God through Christ. This means that our attitude towards money and possessions is a spiritual issue as well as a practical one. By looking at generosity and stewardship as a discipleship journey, we move ourselves from a place of ‘flesh’ considering our possessions as our own, to one of ‘Spirit’ – recognising that all we are and all we have belong to God, that we are caretakers of the resources he entrusts into our care, releasing the bonds of materialism to one grounded in the Kingdom of God.
Sammi Tooze is the Discipleship and Strategy Adviser in the Diocese of York, and is also a member of General Synod and the Liturgical Commission, and a Trustee of the Parish Giving Scheme.
“Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?” He answered, “An enemy has done this.” Matthew 13:27b-28
Over the years there have been many scandals with charities where money has been misspent or misappropriated, or where charity workers have proved less than honest or downright corrupt. Such situations are always sad or tragic; money doesn’t get to the right place and lives which could have been helped have not been, or worse, more lives have been damaged. Over and again, I have heard people say that they’re not going to give to X charity again or even that charity giving is a waste of time.
Generally speaking, the cause is inadequate management, with actions that could have been checked or prevented. It is always easy to find excuses to be less than generous: ‘Oh, the money doesn’t get to the right people’ or ‘They’re all corrupt’. The reality is that most of the time most charities are not only honest but are doing a huge amount of good. Taking the long, considered view, as the householder in Jesus’ parable, always pays dividends. Taking the generous option means taking risks and allowing the benefit of doubt to give a positive outcome.
The Rev’d Canon Dr Neil Evans is Residentiary Canon and Steward at St Paul’s Cathedral and was formerly Director of Ministry in the Diocese of London. He is the author of Developing Ministry: Handbook for effective Christian Learning and Training (SPCK).
Generosity begins with God, who gave his life for us.
Many of us have seen an ‘ambiguous image’. It’s one of those pictures that can show two different images simultaneously. For example, we may see a duck, then as we stare at it for a while, it also shows us a rabbit.
The parables of the treasure and the pearl are like this. Often, in church we see one of the images, one interpretation, namely, God is the valuable prize. Therefore, we must give everything up to gain him. However, there is a second viewpoint: you are the pearl. You are the treasure of great worth, and God gave his Son, he gave himself, to gain you. Both of these pictures can be true at the same time.
Generosity begins with God, who gave his life for us, and we respond to this by making him and our relationship with him our priority. Our generosity simultaneously overflows from his.
André Adefope is a curate based in Bolton. He has written two books, including ‘Same Cross New Questions: How Jesus brings connection in a world of loneliness and separation. For more info go to www.samecrossnewquestions.com.
August 2023
That when we work with God, he will anoint our gift for his glory.
If only we too could transform a little snack into a huge banquet! As our creator and sustainer, multiplying something small into something spectacular was quite normal for God. He had already spoken life into the darkness to create light and life, so lunch for a hungry crowd was a piece of cake!
Jesus could have commanded the stones at his feet to turn into bread; but he chose not to. Instead, he worked with his disciples and the donor of the bread and fish to illustrate something fundamental. That when we work with him, he will anoint our gift for his glory. When we trust him, he will not let us down. When we give what we can, he can transform it beyond our understanding.
But that miracle started with a simple act of possibly hesitant generosity. A doubtful passing over of a meagre lunch.
It still starts with us. Trusting him, offering our time, skills and even our money and possessions. Imagine the impact…if we let go of our hesitancy and fears to share what we have. Imagine how much he could do with our wholehearted offering, whatever or however that may be. Imagine how wonderful it might be to feed the multitudes today in body, mind and spirit.
Bryony Wood is a priest serving in North Nottinghamshire/the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham. She is a writer whose first book, The Sound of Musings was published in May 2023.
In moments of prayer, we can ask what God is calling us to give; how we can grow in Christ-like generosity.
In this story, known well to many people, it is helpful to observe that after Jesus’ ministry to the crowds, he takes himself away to pray alone. Prayer is a powerfully sacred space in which we are drawn intimately into the presence of God, in which we discern how we are called to be imitators of God on earth, and in which we are transformed more into the people God creates us to be. Prayer is also a place entwined with generosity – we give ourselves to God, and in turn we are led into inhabiting a more generous and contented spirit. We encounter this regularly when we say The Lord’s Prayer – ‘give us today our daily bread’, a desire to receive the generosity of God with grace, to be content with what we have, and to stop us from wanting more. In moments of prayer, we can ask what God is calling us to give, how he might be calling us to become more generous in the whole of life, and how we can grow in Christ-like generosity.
Sammi Tooze is the Discipleship and Strategy Adviser in the Diocese of York, and is also a member of General Synod and the Liturgical Commission, and a Trustee of the Parish Giving Scheme.
Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly. Matthew 15:28
This is a difficult passage as we think of Jesus’ mission and ministry being for all and fully inclusive: a message at the heart of the Gospel. Whether Matthew is talking of Jesus testing the woman’s faith, whether he has Jesus speaking from a first Century Jewish perspective, or whether it was humorous banter, we can’t be certain. But the outcome is an act of God’s generosity.
The reality is that our own generosity of spirit can be tested, and situations are not always straightforward. It is appropriate to ask questions and not to be taken for a ride; being a Christian is not being a doormat! However, in our reactions we are called to err on the side of generosity. Perhaps a response of, ‘I’m not going to be taken in by that’ might also be a challenge to say, ‘in which case I will be generous in this way, instead’. A refusal to give to someone begging, for example, might be followed by a donation to a homeless charity. How am I being challenged today?
The Rev’d Canon Dr Neil Evans is Residentiary Canon and Steward at St Paul’s Cathedral and was formerly Director of Ministry in the Diocese of London. He is the author of Developing Ministry: Handbook for effective Christian Learning and Training (SPCK).
A generous church has members which give help to others and are also humble enough to receive help too.
In a team sport, everyone has different roles. In football, not everyone can be the striker, you also need defenders. In cricket, not everyone can bat, you also need fielders. In netball, not everyone can be goal shooter, you also need goal keepers. No one can do everything, so team members have to rely on their teammates and help each other.
Likewise, we as church members are called to think not only of ourselves, or be conceited, but importantly to remember other people. Being generous with our gifts and talents is needed because no one can do everything, so we are urged to use them to benefit those around us. In addition, we are told to accept help from those who are gifted in ways we are not. A generous church has members which give help to others and are also humble enough to receive help too.
André Adefope is a curate based in Bolton. He has written two books, including ‘Same Cross New Questions: How Jesus brings connection in a world of loneliness and separation. For more info go to www.samecrossnewquestions.com.
September 2023
God can hold us, help us, guide and bless in everything.
Matthew tells how Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, fully aware of what lay ahead at Calvary. Peter, however, couldn’t accept such a dire fate for his beloved master; until Jesus warned him to reset his thinking. A challenge surely for us all to align our mind-set with God’s.
Jesus came to fulfil God’s perfect plan, to draw us into relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When we align our mind-set to seek God’s will, it transforms our thinking and doing, including our wallets! We begin to learn that in everything, God can hold us, help us, guide and bless. For no matter what happens in life, God won’t be caught unawares. Somehow, he is both one step ahead, whilst walking beside us.
Developing a relationship of trust in God is both a joy and a challenge as we begin to recalibrate all that we are and all that we have. We discover through faith, that he is the ultimate source of divine assurance and security. Resetting our minds to trust in both good times and tough times means we can give our ‘first fruits’ in confidence. For all our gifts and resources are from him in the first place! What we are offered eternally is priceless, unlike anything we might seek in the world.
Bryony Wood is a priest serving in North Nottinghamshire/the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham. She is a writer whose first book, The Sound of Musings was published in May 2023.
Pay it forwards.
Getting a loan is easy in the UK! Taking them out may be easy, but paying them back may less so. Average personal debt in the UK excluding mortgages now exceeds £33,000. Such debt can become impossible to repay and lead to a spiral down into real poverty.
That loans are so commonplace makes it hard to see Paul’s teaching being taken literally today.
A Malayan proverb says “One can pay back the loan of gold, but one dies forever in debt to those who are kind.” Society now encourages us to “pay it forwards”. Recipients of kindness, especially where they are unable to bless the original giver, might bless others in response to the blessings we have been shown. The initial debt may be left unpaid, but it is redeemed by a subsequent act of grace and generosity.
John Preston is one-time National Stewardship Advisor for the Church of England, and latterly Diocesan Secretary for the Diocese of Worcester.
Giving from the heart – without counting the cost.
Geraldine was suddenly widowed at the age of 51, she had never worked and had no children. Geraldine turned to a Christian friend for advice who loaned her money to tide her over until things were settled with the administration of the estate, which took months to sort out. At a later point, realising she would have insufficient funds to settle her debt, Geraldine asked for more time to repay her. The friend took pity on her and told her she owed nothing, it was her way of helping her friend.
Geraldine’s friend gave to her from her heart. This reflects the generosity we hear about in our readings today and something we can be mindful of in our dealings with others.
Such generosity is shown by God towards us. God believes in forgiving and in equality, we need do nothing but be and he loves us. He wants us to treat others as we would wish to be treated, upholding each another, being generous to one another, giving and not counting the cost. In doing this we reflect God’s abundantly generous love for each of us.
Sharran Ireland was Team Rector of four churches now retired with PTO in the Diocese of Canterbury.
‘Just in time’ or ‘Just in case’?
Efficient businesses follow the ‘just in time’ principle, developing trusted supply chains that deliver components just when needed, rather than cluttering up the factory with large amounts of stock just in case they run short. In Exodus 16 God is teaching the Israelites in the desert the ‘just in time’ principle – that God can be trusted to deliver just what they need at the right moment. On the eve of the sabbath twice as much manna was delivered as on the other days (v5). Likewise in Psalm 105 v41, God provided water from the rock just in time.
So often we live by a different principle, ‘just in case’. We clutter our lives with possessions and seek to accumulate assets in the bank ‘just in case’ they might be needed. The problem is that this principle teaches us to rely on ourselves rather than on God and can be such a generosity-blocker, causing us to hold on to things we have rather than give them away to those whose need is greater.
How are we going to live this week? Generously, in the confidence that God will provide what we need just in time? Or selfishly, holding on to what we have, just in case?
Mark Ireland is Archdeacon of Blackburn. He has written several books on mission and evangelism and his latest publication is ‘Surveillance Capitalism and the Loving Gaze of God’ (Grove Books, 2022)
October 2023
A generous gift of attending to and listening to others.
Sometimes the generosity of God can seem overwhelming: how can we possibly come close? Our epistle reading today is a good example, with those wonderful words about Christ emptying himself to take on the form of a slave and becoming obedient to the point of death.
But Paul also gives us a clue about where we might start putting generosity into action when he says ‘Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others’. This is not an incitement to nosiness, but at heart it speaks of the gift of listening to others, of seeing what concerns them, of taking an interest in their preoccupations. In other words, it is about being generous with our attention.
Paying attention to someone may seem like a relatively minor thing to do, but if we are generous with our attention in the name of the one who gave his all, then it becomes infinitely more precious, and who knows where it will lead?
Harriet Johnson is Chaplain to St Augustine’s College of Theology and based in the Diocese of Rochester.
Tenants are stewards.
Having lived in our own house for many years, three years ago we moved into a rented property. We became stewards of our landlord’s house, and noticed a conflict between the aspirations we had for the place in which we were living, and what the owner might want for it. If the house was ours, we might have knocked a wall down, or changed the garden around.
Stewards care for that which is entrusted to them – doing the best they can for the ultimate owner. Being a good steward will lead us to suppress our own desires and wants, to focus on another’s agenda. The church is a steward of God’s mission to the world – he generously entrusts the worldwide church with it. As tenants in God’s world, and entrusted with his mission, are we imposing our aspirations for the church, or seeking to fulfil God’s calling?
John Preston is one-time National Stewardship Advisor for the Church of England, and latterly Diocesan Secretary for the Diocese of Worcester.
Accepting God’s generous invitation
Our Gospel reading tells that those whom the Lord has especially called, refused to attend his celebration of life, but then others, who were the most unexpected people, were chosen to be given a place at God's table.
The story is an allegory of God's generous invitation to us to take part in the dramatic unfolding of salvation brought by his Son, an offer beyond price, and an offer that is open to us all.
Matthew's point is about generous invitation and blunt refusal. He reinforces the message that whatever our situation in life, God calls to us generously and we are called to respond with equal generosity, to come out of ourselves and into the new life of the kingdom - to make the choice to accept God's generosity. The real mystery is that many still refuse when our life here can be made a foretaste of eternity with God, if only we choose to listen to the voice of the One who loves us enough to call us and accept his generous invitation to live!
Sharran Ireland was Team Rector of four churches now retired with PTO in the Diocese of Canterbury.
‘Ascribe to the Lord the honour due to his name; bring offerings and come into his courts.’ (Psalm 96v8).
One of the highlights of my visits to churches in Africa is always the offertory. That is when the worship so often comes alive, with singing and dancing and shouts of joy. For the psalmist, as for my African friends, bringing offerings to God was clearly an integral part of worship, a way of ascribing to God the honour due to his name.
That being so, how come we are so shy in our own culture about taking offerings in church? Often in our embarrassment we hide the offertory in a hymn without any prior explanation, in a way that so easily catches the visitor unawares.
One sad legacy of Covid is that in many places we have lost even the offertory hymn. Online giving is in many ways better, safer and more reliable than giving on the plate. However we can lose that precious connection between giving and worship. What we give, through the bank or on the plate, is one of the ways in which we ascribe to the Lord the honour we think is due to his name.
Mark Ireland is Archdeacon of Blackburn. He has written several books on mission and evangelism and his latest publication is ‘Surveillance Capitalism and the Loving Gaze of God’ (Grove Books, 2022)
We delight in the Lord, who will refresh and nourish us.
Sometimes it can be exhausting to be giving all the time. Sometimes we can feel as though we have little left to give – no more resources, no more time, no more energy. We are empty.
Psalm 1 gives us an image of trees beside a stream. They are constantly able to take up water with their roots and nourish and refresh themselves. The nutrients that they take in from the water and the energy they get from the sun are transformed by action within the trees’ cells into more leaves and fruit. As a result, their leaves do not wither and they can give their fruit when it is time to do so.
Generosity, especially when we give of ourselves, also requires that we replenish our stocks and find refreshment. For the psalmist this refreshment is found in meditation on, and delight in, the law of the Lord. How can we use our love for Jesus and delight in him who is the fulfilment of that law, to refresh us and nourish us, so that we too can keep giving our fruit?
Harriet Johnson is Chaplain to St Augustine’s College of Theology and based in the Diocese of Rochester.
November 2023
Does paid or unpaid ministry offer better value?
As a Diocesan Secretary, working five days a week to support parishes across the diocese I’m paid for my work for the Church. As a Licensed Lay Minister (Reader) preaching and leading worship, I’m a volunteer. I see both as complementary sides of my ministry – both equally important.
There are many models of ministry – some paid, some unpaid – and at different times in Paul’s life he experienced both. It’s often said that we value what we pay for – but anything which we have bought comes with an expectation of value for money – and if not, that we will have some recourse to the seller. There is a risk that we seek to judge whether ministry is “value for money” – and that is ultimately fruitless, for it is only through God’s eyes and according to his perspective that our calling can be seen to be fulfilled or not.
John Preston is one-time National Stewardship Advisor for the Church of England, and latterly Diocesan Secretary for the Diocese of Worcester.
Are we prepared to meet him?
Remembrance Sunday gives us the opportunity to give thanks for those who generously gave up their lives for the sake of their loved ones and those not yet born.
Today we are called to wait with hope for the coming of Christ, using the wisdom brought to us by the Scriptures. We are encouraged to stay awake because, just as those who died in war, we don't know either the day or the hour.
Are there things that we would do if we knew our time was short? Are there relationships in our lives that are in need of healing? Are there things we need to say to people that we keep putting off?
Are we like the wise bridesmaids – open minded, alert and fully prepared, being generous in our preparations? Or like the foolish bridesmaids – closed minded, with pockets of our lives untouched by the Gospel message; unprepared because we’ve buried our heads in the sand to other possibilities?
By being generous in our relationships, ready to forgive, ready to say sorry ourselves, and open to God’s prompting to go the extra mile generously for one another, we will be emulating what God does for us.
Sharran Ireland was Team Rector of four churches now retired with PTO in the Diocese of Canterbury.
Everything we own belongs to the Lord
Today’s Gospel reading has featured in many church fundraising initiatives, where each member is offered a small sum of money and invited to go away and trade with it and bring back the proceeds. As in Jesus’ story, the results tend to vary widely!
However I suspect that when Jesus told this story he was not thinking about fundraising but about stewardship. A silver talent was a substantial sum of money, so the man going on a journey was showing real trust in his slaves to steward his resources for him in his absence.
As Jesus’ final journey reaches its climax, he commissions his disciples to carry on his business, entrusting them with his life and power, and charges them to use it for his glory not their own, reminding them that on the day of his return they will be held to account.
Two thousand years on it is good to be reminded that all that we ‘own’ in fact belongs to the Lord, and one day he will return and ask us how well we have used what has been entrusted to us to carry on the work of God’s kingdom among the least, the last and the lost.
How might that knowledge affect my spending choices this week?
Mark Ireland is Archdeacon of Blackburn. He has written several books on mission and evangelism and his latest publication is ‘Surveillance Capitalism and the Loving Gaze of God’ (Grove Books, 2022)
‘I myself will search for my sheep’.
We often think of important leaders as people with large entourages and lots of staff to do things for them. When the king invites people to a garden party at Buckingham Palace, you can be sure that he has not personally fired up the barbecue! When a head of a government or large corporation promises to do something, they usually mean that they will ask someone on their staff to look into it and take action.
But in our reading from Ezekiel God gives us another model of leadership. ‘I myself will search for my sheep’ he says. God’s generosity does not lie in waiting for, or even asking, others to do things. It is rooted in God’s own willingness to take action, even actions that might be left to others. ‘I will seek the lost, bind up the injured, feed them and rescue them,’’ says God. I will do whatever needs to be done.’
In Christ we have a king who himself gave up power in order to serve. Can we, like him, be generous enough to roll up our own sleeves and lend our hands to God’s work?
Harriet Johnson is Chaplain to St Augustine’s College of Theology and based in the Diocese of Rochester.
December 2023
Thankfulness, Gratitude and God’s Grace
“For all Your goodness I will keep on singing, Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find” goes the song. It’s easy to miss our blessings – especially the things that we don’t notice or see. Every breath that we take is a gift from God, every moment of being loved, every glimpse of nature. The gift of eternal life through Jesus is unseen too, yet is more precious than any other blessing.
Swiss philosopher Henri Frederic Amiel wrote ““Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.” Gratitude shapes our attitude – we move from entitlement to recognition that we are blessed far more than we deserve by the grace of Jesus.
Peter Maiden’s book “Radical Gratitude” ends ‘My final word on a book on radical gratitude – rely solely on the amazing grace of God’.
John Preston is one-time National Stewardship Advisor for the Church of England, and latterly Diocesan Secretary for the Diocese of Worcester.
Can you give of your time?
As we prepare for Christmas we see the streets of our towns festooned with twinkling lights, shops decorated with Christmas trees and gifts displayed to tempt in the shopper.
In the materialistic hype, people can forget that Christmas is all about God’s generosity. Our Psalm today reminds us that God is a generous giver who forgives and restores, who brings peace to those who love him and salvation as we believe in him.
At this special time of year when we have time to reflect upon our coming Christian celebration, we might consider how we can be generous, not necessarily by indulging in a materialistic kind of giving but simply by giving our time to a person who is alone, or sharing a meal with them, even shopping for them instead of ourselves. Being generous with our time, giving what is good just as God has done for us, can be the most precious gift we can give to another.
Sharran Ireland was Team Rector of four churches now retired with PTO in the Diocese of Canterbury.
‘The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.’ Psalm 126.3
In Scripture, God is not a God of scarcity but of abundance. The psalmist looks back to times in the past when God had acted powerfully to restore the fortunes of his people. Those memories inspire the psalmist to pray for a similar restoration in his or her own day of calamity. The writer uses two images of abundance, when dry watercourses gush again after the seasonal rains, and when those who sow seed despite tears and scarcity later return to harvest sheaves in abundance.
Sowing corn in the ground when supplies are low takes great faith. Yet without generous sowing there can be no harvest. When we look at the problems that confront us today, are we able to look with the psalmist’s eyes of faith on the dry watercourse or the near empty bag of seeds, and praise the God of abundance, trusting that God will again provide fresh water to drink and sheaves of corn?
If times are hard for us in this cost of living crisis, can we dare in faith to still sow small seeds of generosity, trusting that God will in time return a joyful harvest?
Mark Ireland is Archdeacon of Blackburn. He has written several books on mission and evangelism and his latest publication is ‘Surveillance Capitalism and the Loving Gaze of God’ (Grove Books, 2022)
God’s promise to King David.
King David was in a good place – and he knew it. Life had been generous to him, not least in providing him with a sturdy house of cedar wood. He wanted to be generous in return – by building God, the source of his good fortune, a house of God’s own.
But God had different ideas. God didn’t want David’s generosity – at least not expressed in this way. Instead, God wanted to continue being generous to David in establishing the throne with his descendants forever.
How often do we try to force our own ideas on other people, out of a mistaken sense of our own generosity, instead of listening to them? Instead of giving people things that we think they must want, can we instead offer them the generosity that recognises who they truly are, and be generous with whatever they really need for them to be the people God is calling them to be?
Harriet Johnson is Chaplain to St Augustine’s College of Theology and based in the Diocese of Rochester.
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