2 Corinthians 9:11 (NIV)
11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the peace of Almighty God to you and your loved ones.
I have usually avoided writing about tithes and offerings. I held the view- shared by many – that congregations ask for financial sustenance, but they lack the will to serve and be a faithful representative of the Gospel of Jesus. It was my view that before any congregation could ask its members for funds, that they needed to display a consistent model of the Church’s key characteristics: humility, authenticity toward the Gospel, and transparency.
My views have not changed. Therefore, I feel at peace and confident to reach out to each of you asking for your generous tithes and offerings to sustain the ministries and life of Miami Lakes Congregational Church. The financial resources provided to our community of faith are the physical expressions of faith, support, encouragement, and resilience, we are in need to always have.
We have experienced several years of challenges. Financial ones have been real. They have brought stress and concerns not of possessions, but of the ability to remain open, active, and engaged in the community we have been blessed to serve since November of 1963. As we look back at our 58 years as a progressive Christian presence in Miami Lakes, we are humbled by the service provided to generations of children at the Growing Place. We are marveled by the individual lives and families we have served in the times of promise, love, loss, and uncertainty. Your contributions will continue to guarantee our services, expand their recipients, and restore our place of financial security and health.
Please receive my blessings and heartfelt gratitude for the prayerful consideration each of you invest on behalf of my request. The times are difficult and the resources for many are also challenged. These are times of uncertainty, indeed. We believe God does not abandon any of his children. We believe God provides the opportunity for us to tithe so we can be active participants in the realization of the Kin-dom of God on earth as it is in heaven. We believe we can all make a difference in the future direction of Miami Lakes Congregational Church. I believe each of us can… and will.
Humbly submitted,
Pastor Daniel Medina
