Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1929

18 MINUTES OF THE SYNOD OF THEtheir Budget has been raised. The blackboard suggested duringthe winter is adequate but will not work itself.Third, the obligation of Stewardship and Tithing should bemore faithfully taught in some quarters. It is not to the creditof a pastor for him to say he never mentions finances. EveryChristian duty laid down in the Word of God, even the duty oftithing, should be faithfully and forcefully put before the congregationby the pastor.Fourth, most congregations need a more systematic methodof teaching the tithe. Synod might prepare a booklet on thesubject of giving, for the Juniors and another for Young People.The coming generation will then think nothing of raising a Budgetthe size of ours.Fifth, the Every Member Canvass should be thoroughlycarried out yearly in each congregation. Boards sometimes assumethey know what people will subscribe or what they willsay, therefore the Canvass is unnecessary. Each Board shouldremember that the individual is the steward and no man or groupof men has the right to assume what he will do or what he willsay with reference to his obligation. It is ideal where all pledgeat least most of their tithe to be used through the CovenanterChurch. Some congregations generously helped stray evangeliststo the tune of $1400 to $1700 per month while they let theirpastors who take all the bumps, work for almost a year for thesame amount. Too large a. portion of our money in some quartersgoes in this way while our own work suffers.Sixth, the congregations which begin payments on theirBudget for the new year before Synod meets, we note, are theones which most easily raise their quota. Every congregationshould contribute something to the Budget each month duringthe Synodical year, beginning with April.Aside from the failure to tithe and pay it into our Churchtreasuries, perhaps the most serious difficulty in raising the Budgetis the failure of many congregations to begin payment untilso late in the year that it is then a burden. The draw-backs incompleting the Budget are:1. Contributors are too far removed from the schemes theysupport under our present Budget system. We are not appealingto the hearts of our people as we should. Giving is a matterof the law plus the heart. The law should be obeyed and theappeal should be to the heart. While we used to fail in theformer, we are now remiss in the latter.2. Many congregations do not begin to contribute to theBudget early enough in the year. The close of the year is'aheavy strain and drain. Synod should seek a cure to thiseleventh-hour giving.3. The proportion of tithers in our Church is too small.Every Christian should recognize and be obedient to this duty.We submit the following as a solution of our failure to raisetheir schemes difficulty preached budget people of raising upon, the in to full: Church remember and the 1. pay Budget, with Let toward in pastors, dates prayer be the for furnished in Budget for sermons. all the congregations with month, a schedule Let this them scheme having of enjoin the