BOFA - Magazine May-June

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P A G E 2 | B R I D G E O F A L L A N P A R I S H C H U R C H M A G A Z I N E FROM THE MANSE Easter Sunday has passed and I am beyond making forlorn weather predictions. However, I am hopeful that as you are reading this you have had the chance to stand outside, at least once, without hat, scarf and gloves to augment our hefty winter/spring coat. Whatever the current weather, I think it is fair to say that this winter has felt colder and longer than many in recent years. There are two possible questions that arise from what felt like an unusually long and cold winter. We must acknowledge that this change in winter weather is part of a large pattern of climate change, and look into our own actions. Looking to see how we can live in a way that reduces our impact on the global climate shift. And, more so, how can we lobby those in power to move our nation to be more sustainable and ecologically minded in our production and delivery of power and resources. We must also ask ourselves if we reached out in the cold to those who feel it worse than we did. When the snows fell did we do enough to ensure our vulnerable neighbours had food and heat enough? When it remained cold and wet for a long period did we check on those near-by who might have not felt happy about leaving the house and been stuck at home for days and weeks on end? We must also ask ourselves if we reached out in the cold to those who feel it worse than we did. When the snows fell did we do enough to ensure our vulnerable neighbours had enough food and heating? When it remained cold and wet for a long period did we check on those near-by who might have not felt happy about leaving the house and been stuck at home for days and weeks on end? Dan
P A G E 3 | B R I D G E O F A L L A N P A R I S H C H U R C H M A G A Z I N E STEWARDSHIP WHY WE GIVE, WHAT WE GIVE & HOW WE GIVE Throughout the month of April we are looked at stewardship. That difficult and often avoided topic that looks at what we do with our money, with a particular focus on giving to the Church. This is a topic that is easy to avoid and hard to bring up. It is not something that we like to talk about and is something that most of us consider to be a matter between ourselves and God. This is of course true. However, it is important that we are intentional and considered in our giving and what we do with our money, and this period of looking at stewardship is about facilitating that thinking and recognising that whilst money is not the point of what we do, money is needed to facilitate us doing the work of God in our Parish and as a Presbytery and National Church. In examining this we need to explore three areas; namely, why we give, what we give and how we give. WHY DO WE GIVE TO THE CHURCH? From a pragmatic point we could list in detail a number of clear and matter-of-fact reasons for contributing generously and realistically to the work of the Church. We all know that bills have to be paid and the general work of the Church, both at home and abroad, is year upon year hit by ever increasing costs which like everything else are subject to inflation. Costs rise but bills still need to be paid and through that lens it is easy to think of stewardship as a euphemism for fundraising. But stewardship is not about fundraising. Stewardship is about us actively thinking about how we use the time, talents and resources that we have been given by God. Stewardship is a spiritual discipline that is based in gratitude, and how we respond with gratitude to what God has given us. Why do we give? We give out of love and thankfulness because of what God has done for us in Christ and in creation.
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BOFA - Magazine May-June

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