Dear Friends:

Here are this week's Sermon Notes and an urgent message from our Finance Committee. I've enclosed copies of both in the body of this email, as well as print ready attachments.

This month we begin an emphasis on stewardship. The concern is both for this year and next. Please continue to pray, and consider what you can do this year and next to support your Church.

Blessings,

Rev. Jim O'Neal

Urgent & Important Message from our Finance Committee

November 2, 2008

Dear Members and Friends:

Our budgeted operating expenses for this year of 2008 total $803,598. (This is for the operation of our Church and does not include Endowment Funds, the Multi-Purpose Education Building, the Gardens, Mission Funds, and other designated funds.)

This tells us that to operate our Church we need $2,200 per day or roughly about $15,400 each week. Our expenditures to date have been close to our budget. Our “pledgers” have faithfully given what they said they would and more. Sadly, the amount of money in our “loose plate’ offerings have dropped over the past two years from around $1,000 to roughly $200. This year this shortfall has finally taken its toll.

At the end of March we had $144,638 in operating Funds on hand and this gave us enough to handle 65 days without income. Now we are entering November and we have only about $42,000 remaining in our Operating Funds at this time. This is equivalent to about 19 days of Operating Funds.

The Finance Committee has put the word out for committees to be most diligent and to keep expenditures as low as possible, and they have been doing so. (And rest assured we will take a long and prayerful look at next year’s budget, and we will cut where we can, as well as hold the line in many areas.)

Right now, however, we need to get back to a strong financial position, and our Finance Committee has come up with a plan that we feel our Church members will embrace and participate in.

We are praying for 200 people to step forward and pledge to give a one time $200 gift over and above their regular or pledged giving. We encourage members and friends of the Church, pledgers, non-pledgers, and those who drop their money into the loose plate offerings to participate.

This gift of $200 from 200 people will give this your Church the additional $40,000 to get us back on track. Certainly if you can give more, please do so. If you can only give a smaller amount, please also do so, and know that it is appreciated.

A number of folks from the Finance Committee as well as our Senior Pastor have already pledged to do this and plan to turn in their checks for $200 today. Thank you for hearing, praying about and responding to this pressing need.

Blessings,

Your Finance Committee

Great Reasons For Great Giving, Part 1

Sermon Notes

November 2, 2008

Rev. Jim O’Neal, Senior Pastor

Sun Lakes United Methodist Church

9248 E. Riggs Road, Sun Lakes, Arizona 85248

(480) 895-8766

II Corinthians 8:1-9 NRSV

¹We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia; ²for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. ³For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means, and even beyond their means, ⁴begging us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints — ⁵and this, not merely as we expected; they gave themselves first to the Lord and, by the will of God, to us, ⁶so that we might urge Titus that, as he had already made a beginning, so he should also complete this generous undertaking among you. ⁷Now as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you — so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.

⁸I do not say this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others. ⁹For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.

A. Introduction

1. Moonshine

a. Two college fellows on spring break were driving down a country road in their SUV. They came upon an old hillbilly whose rusted and beat up trunk was stuck in the mud off the road. With their cable winch they pulled the old truck back onto the road. The old guy was quite grateful. He took a little brown jug from behind the seat and said, “Let me thank you boys with a couple of gulps of my white lightning.” It smelled real bad so they said, “No thank you!” The hillbilly then pointed his shotgun at them and said, “Drink.” They both took drinks. The “lightning” burned their mouth. It took their breath away. It made them dizzy. They then fell to their knees and rolled in agony as it burned inside their stomachs. Finally they staggered to their feet. Then the hillbilly said, “Now you hold the gun on me and make me take a drink!”

b. Today is Stewardship “Kickoff” Sunday. A lot of folks have an aversion to Stewardship Campaigns that is not a lot different than the two college kids’ dread of taking a sip of bad moonshine. They don’t want to do it. They don’t want to be pressed about the subject. And they don’t want to be forced or “guilted” into giving. So this morning I will give you some positive reasons for giving.

2. II Corinthians 8 & 9

a. In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, he encourages the Church folks of his day to give. And he gives them four great reasons for great giving.

b. This morning and next Sunday I will share these. This morning I give you two of these reasons: Give because of God’s great love! Give because of the needs of others.

B. Give because of God’s great love!

1. Major Bell becomes a generous giver! (DIARY OF A MODERN PILGRIM by Browning Ware)

a. Another large check came in from Major Bell. The counters wondered about this retired army fellow, who gave so much to the Church. The bookkeeper wondered if perhaps the old gentleman was having some memory problems. After all he was giving double what he had pledged. Instead of one check for the pledged amount each month, they got two. So the pastor called Major Bell and was invited for lunch at a nice restaurant. Well into their meal the pastor said, “Major, I am curious about something. You are generous with your gifts to our Church. The bookkeeper tells me that you are making double payments on your pledge.” The Major seemed embarrassed. “Well, whatever the amount,” said the Major, “I know it is not enough. You see I’ve known all my life that God loves me and has been extremely gracious to me. A few years back, it occurred to me that God was doing all the giving, the real giving I mean. Oh, I gave regularly to the Church, but it was way short of the proportion to what my Lord has done for me.” “So?” asked the pastor, “Why the double pledge?” “No mystery, preacher,” the Major said, “I’m just trying to get caught up on my tithe to the Lord.”

b. Here is a man who understands what he owes God. Here is a man who understands why we give to our Church. We give out of gratitude for all that God has done for us.

2. Two boys in mobile home fire (The Arizona Republic, November 6, 1996)

a. Mariano Olivares, 12 years old, loves his little brother Francisco so much that he nearly sacrificed his own life to save the 8-year-old boy. The two brothers shared a bedroom in a small central Phoenix mobile home that caught fire on November 4, 1996. A frayed cord to a space heater caught the carpet on fire next to Francisco’s bed. Mariano awakened to find his brother surrounded by flames. He quickly alerted his mother, she grabbed baby Bennie, and ran outside. There she tried unsuccessfully to fight the blaze with a garden hose. Meanwhile inside, Mariano realized that his brother would die soon if something were not done. So Mariano rushed through the wall of flame, grabbed his brother, and carried him outside. Francisco suffered third degree burns over 43% of his body and Mariano over 10%. Both would eventually pull through. Captain Bob Khan said this of Mariano rescuing his brother, ”If he hadn’t pulled him out, we wouldn’t have been able to save him.”

b. Mariano was willing to give his life to save his brother. Jesus Christ did give His life for the sins of

the whole world. And that includes your sins and my sins. Jesus offers to you the gift of life abundant and life eternal. There is no one who has done as much for you as Jesus. Are you thankful? Do you show your gratitude?

3. II Corinthians 8:9 & John 15:13

a. Paul in II Corinthians 8:9 tells us: “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (II Corinthians 8:9 TEV) You and I do know what Jesus has done for us. Do you appreciate His love?

b. John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13 NIV) Focus on the love of Jesus the next time you think about what you should give of your time, talents, and money.

C. Give because of the needs of others.

1. Frisbees for Africa (FRISBEES AND GUERILLAS by Gary B. Swanson)

a. We have so much. We sometimes forget that there are those who have so little. Several years back John Bowes; chairman of the Wham-O Corporation participated in a charity effort. He sent several thousand “Frisbee”, plastic flying discs to an orphanage in Angola, Africa. He thought the children would enjoy playing with them. Several months later a company representative visited the orphanage. The nun who ran the place thanked him for the wonderful, non-breakable “PLATES” that his company had sent them. She said the children, also, found the plates good for carrying water, and even sturdy enough to catch fish with. The representative explained and demonstrated the intended use of a Frisbee. Now the nun was really excited. The children could not only use their plates to hold food, carry water and catch fish, they could, also, use them as toys!

b. On one level this is a humorous story. On another level it is very sad. There are people who would prize even our cast off items. There are people who would gladly eat what we throw away. Millions of people in our world live at subsistence level. Many live on less than $300 a year. There are by U.N. estimates about 11 million refugees in our world languishing in poverty. Millions will die of diseases that could be cured if only they had the medicine or doctors. For millions the only hope is the Church of Jesus Christ. In some areas of planet earth the only hospital is the Mission Clinic supported by Christians around the world. In the great cities of the world, and in our own metropolitan area, it is Church groups that take the forefront in providing homeless shelters, food and clothing for the poor.

2. Boy drops groceries

a. A poor woman was ill so she sent her son to the grocery store to buy food. She gave him a shopping list, and the last bit of money that she had. On the way home the boy tripped on the curb and the groceries smashed down hard against the pavement. The milk carton broke, all the milk poured out, and all the eggs were broken. Much of the food was spilled out of the boxes. The boy just sat on the curb and cried. A crowd gathered at the scene. On man said, “What a pity.” A woman said, “I’m sorry you’re sad fellow.” And she gave the lad a little hug. Then a man said, “I care $5. How much do you care?” The man put the money down next to the boy and soon others joined in.

b. Sometimes God asks us to take out our wallet and show how much we care. There are terrible physical needs out there. There are perhaps even greater spiritual needs out there. Some 3 billion people in the world live and die with no hope, because they do not know Christ. And even here in the United States, how many of our neighbors and co-workers are there, who have never really been introduced to Jesus? Our country has strayed far from our Christian roots. We have people living today who have no idea about Jesus Christ and his love. People are starving spiritually for the truth of Jesus. They just need someone to share His story with them. Our society desperately needs strong Churches with great programs to offer them Christ!

3. II Corinthians 8:1-4

a. A famine hit the land of Israel in Paul’s day. People were in desperate need. Paul and other Christians encouraged the Church folk to help fund a relief effort. Paul begins the 8^th chapter of his second letter to the Corinthians by reminding the well-to-do Corinthians of what the poor folks in Macedonia did to help. He says, “I can assure you that they gave as much as they could, and even more than they could. Of their own freewill they begged us and pleaded for the privilege of having a part in helping God’s people in Judea.” (II Corinthians 8:3-4 TEV)

b. The next time you give an offering to the Church, think about the people that this money will help. Think about the little boy in Sidewalk Sunday School hearing the story of Jesus for the first time. Think about the un-churched young adult coming to a Campus Ministry worship service for the first time. Think about the faithful older saint in bad health in our own community being visited in the care center by one of our Stephen Ministers and receiving Holy Communion. Think of a fellow member who is ill and receiving help from one of our Health Ministry classes. Think of the hope that each and everyone is offered every week through our worship services. Then think of the love that goes out to those in our midst who are mourning. And finally, think about the family across the ocean in some war torn country that is being helped by our United Methodist Committee on Relief. Our Church helps real people with real needs.

D. Conclusion

1. Recap: Paul gives us some great reasons for great giving:

a. Give because of God’s great love!

b. Give because of the needs of others.

2. II Corinthians 9:7

a. In II Corinthians 9:7 Paul says, “Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (II Corinthians 9:7 RSV)

b. God loves you and has given abundantly to you. How do you respond? Are you a cheerful giver?

Great Reasons

For Great Giving,

Part 1

1. Give because of God’s great love!

2. Give because of the needs of others.

II Corinthians 8:1-9 NRSV

II Corinthians 8:1-9 ICB

¹And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God gave the churches in Macedonia. ²They have been tested by great troubles. And they are very poor. But they gave much because of their great joy. ³I can tell you that they gave as much as they were able. They gave even more than they could afford. No one told them to do it. ⁴But they asked us again and again—they begged us to let them share in this service for God’s people. ⁵And they gave in a way that we did not expect: They first gave themselves to the Lord and to us. This is what God wants. ⁶So we asked Titus to help you finish this special work of grace. He is the one who started this work. ⁷You are rich in everything—in faith, in speaking, in knowledge, in truly wanting to help, and in the love you learned from us. And so we want you to be rich also in this gift of giving.

⁸I am not commanding you to give. But I want to see if your love is true love. I do this by showing you that others really want to help. ⁹You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. You know that Christ was rich, but for you he became poor. Christ did this so that by his being poor you might become rich.