Making a Difference

By Pax Ahimsa Gethen - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62240189

Do you ever want to make a bigger difference in the world?  Are you overwhelmed at times with all the issues that need crucial action and wonder how you should take action? Me, too!
 
I often wonder what difference I make in the big issues of our times. I am not regularly on the front lines protesting. Though I vote each time I get the chance, my time seems taken up with everyday actions that while helpful to others, don’t shift political or economic policy. I am deeply moved by so many human rights issues, environmental issues, peace making issues. I pray for the people on the front lines of these issues – people in our own congregation. I pray for God’s mysterious healing action in these issues. Still I am at a loss as to how I can tangibly help.

This past Sunday night as I led our 6 p.m. service I had an epiphany about a way that I am making a difference of which I was not aware. This revelation came as I watched the most recent Stewardship video for the third time that day:

The video features Arpi Miller, one of the most active members of Plymouth’s Immigration Ministry Team. Arpi told of our Ministry Team’s involvement with a legal clinic for Dreamers after the termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival in September 2017. I realized at a deeper level that through my yearly pledge to Plymouth, I had helped these young people. The termination of DACA broke my heart. So unfair. However, my financial support of Plymouth made a difference in the lives of people I don’t know, but care about deeply.
 
It came back to me that the pledge Hal and I make each year to support Plymouth’s mission and ministry has a ripple effect in ways that we may never know.  Not only do we support the obvious – our three worship services, wonderful music program, our Christian formation programming for all ages, our mission and outreach in the Fort Collins community and beyond, our numerous fellowship opportunities, our beautiful building and grounds and our staff – we also make a difference in the world in surprising and unexpected ways.
 
We have a big challenge at Plymouth this year as we pledge to support our 2020 budget. Some years our budget increases in incremental ways. This year we need to make a leap of faith for the future. We need to increase our pledge income 15.4% so we can continue to make big differences in the life of our faith community and in the wider world.
 
On Sunday, our guest preacher, Dr. Charles Buck, spoke to us about “heavenly economics,” God’s economics of abundance and plenty rather than human economics of scarcity, limitations and competition. (If you weren’t able to be in worship check out his sermon here.) Dr. Buck encouraged us to look around and recognize God’s abundance. Its everywhere! Then to share it! Like love multiplies when we share love, so does God’s abundance. In fact we see abundance better when we take the risk of sharing it, of working out of heavenly economics. And sharing multiplies abundance, multiplies the difference we make. Think of it. An abundant increase of 15%+ in our budget will make an exponential increase in the difference we can make.
 
Join Hal and me in an increased faith promise pledge to Plymouth in 2020. Click here to make your pledge. Let’s make a BIG difference in God’s world!
 
Blessings,

Author

The Rev. Jane Anne Ferguson, Associate Minister, is a writer, storyteller, and contributor to Feasting on the Word, a popular biblical commentary. She is also the writer of sermon-stories.com, a lectionary-based story-commentary series. Read more