Season of Giving: Church

In the month of December, I'm going to feature various groups that help those in need (that means I'm posting twice a day!!). I'm not always doing fundraising for them- just bringing attention to groups that I think do important work or may need help. Perhaps you will feel the urge to connect to that group or find something similar in your area that you can volunteer your time and talents. Perhaps you will want to make a donation. Perhaps you will just feel warm and fuzzy knowing that good is being done in the world. See all posts for the Season of Giving ***** The Promise United Methodist Church My church is struggling. We had to make big cuts at the start of this year and halfway through. And we have a shortfall if we want to start 2011 in the black. And we have a shortfall on out budget which may result in some major cuts. And that scares me because my church is my home, my family, my community. In my life... I've grown up or attended or somehow been part of 8 or more different churches. Some were a big part of my life- the church I grew up in, the church that surrounded my family during some chaotic times. And some were an attempt at reconnecting with a faith community but weren't a good fit for me. And then I found The Promise. I had made a new friend through community theatre and we were cast (by Christy, ironically) as romantic interests and this meant spending a lot of time together. In the course of the time we spent together, my quest for a church home came up and he told me about this church- The Promise. I was hesitant at first. It was in a strip mall. There were plans to build nearby. I attended on Good Friday because my new friend was singing a solo. And I was greeted warmly and immediately felt welcome, at ease. That was in 2004. In the years since, I've become more and more involved with my church and it has become a very important part of my family, my life, and my relationship with God. Here's what impresses me, what I think is special about The Promise. The people who are part of The Promise are truly dedicated to the purpose of sharing God's love. There is a lot of grassroots missions work that goes on. There is outreach to food pantries, missionaries, local schools. There are projects going on in the children's ministry to teach our kids compassion. There are ways to get involved and use your talents- even if your talent is more passion driven than anything else. You don't have to be a great singer to be on music team and lead worship with the team every week. You don't have to have some degree in whatever to volunteer to help with Sunday School. There is a place for everyone in our church and our arms are open wide to love everyone who passes through those doors- and even those who don't. My church is a newer church. And we are struggling financially. It's a hard economic time and giving is often one of the first things that gets cut in a budget. So maybe you feel moved by something I've said about my church or my faith or how I live my life. Maybe you'd like to make a donation to my church. 12648 E. 116th Street, Fishers, IN 46037 Or maybe you'd like to make a donation to a church in your area. Maybe you don't attend church but you know of a church that does good in your community- you can still make a holiday, charitable donation to them. You don't have to attend a church or be religious or even believe in God to support and appreciate or maybe even benefit from having a church in your community. So consider supporting them- or supporting mine- because everyone is struggling these days. Make an appointment to go talk to the pastor there so you feel comfortable in knowing what they do before you make a decision, perhaps. Support your community by supporting a church.