You may feel that the pledge or gift is “in” and that the whole, long process of cultivating and then asking for the gift is over; but you are wrong. In a way, it has only just begun.
Allowing our congregation or diocese to come together to express their hopes and dreams for the church mission and life before being asked to fund it inspires us to be vulnerable, to share openly, and to persevere together during times of hardship; whereas not gathering to express our longings openly together early keeps us small, resentful, withholding and afraid.
when we give away a gift such as a pledge card or a check for a mission or ministry; what is lighting up in our brain when we “give” is, surprisingly, the area which is usually reserved for “receiving.”
Just about everyone has one, a least favorite hymn. That hymn that sends you into paroxysms of disdain the moment you hear the first few bars of the music. What if you could arrange to not have to sing that hymn for a whole year? Would you be willing to pay money for the privilege? How much would you pay?