Giving Sunday

We often talk in our congregation about what the first Christians looked like. We aren’t interested in what they wore or anything like that. We want to know how they acted, what they found important, what moved them. And as we examine these things (most recently in our Wednesday night Bible studies together) we are continually struck by how they cared for one another. Even from afar, congregations saw the needs of other brothers and sisters and wanted to help in some way. 

This has been the example for our congregations’ 5th Sunday Special Giving Sunday. We knew that we could give out of our budget for various needs, but we had members who knew of special needs which they brought to the congregation. We then decided to have an opportunity, every 5th Sunday, to give specially, above and beyond our normal giving. We choose various needs (at least 1 and up to 3) and all the members have the opportunity to give as they see fit to these needs. 

It has been exciting to see how the love of God moves us to help others in so many different places and ways. Often these opportunities teach us that we have brothers and sisters in so many different places. We are one big family. We have helped after natural disasters, like in Myanmar, Laos and Sint Maarten. We have helped churches reaching out to the needy in their area, like Bibles and wells in Uganda, deaf orphans in Kenya, and a center in Ukraine that helps those escaping addiction in their lives and starting anew. 

We have also had opportunities to help locally, like paying for a wheelchair, financial assistance for visitors, travel costs for us when we wanted to visit family (and Shirley wanted to visit her dying sister), and helping kids go to a week of Bible camp.  Yesterday we gave for two children in Uganda with special needs as well as a water purification system at the facility we have helped before in Ukraine. 

These opportunities remind us that we are blessed and that all we have comes from God. We are blessed so that we can bless others. That is some of what we are seeing in the studies we have on the first church and it is working out in the lives of the members every day. We are so thankful for God’s grace that can work through all of us. 

Giving Sundays

In the congregation in Maastricht we have learned how good it is to pass on the blessings that God has given us. Every 5th Sunday we hold a special contribution for any specified needs. This is an additional contribution to our normal Sunday giving. Working up to the 5th Sunday one of the brothers asks in the congregation if there are any needs that members have noticed or have themselves. On the Sunday, members can choose to which need they will give, if there is more than one. 

In the past we have regularly given for a rehabilitation center in Ukraine which our brother Alexander knows about. We have helped with winter heating costs, running costs and, recently, relocation costs as they had to move because of the war. We have also helped with other costs in Ukraine. Knowing the people there always helps us to understand the need. 

We have helped with various projects in Africa including Bibles in Uganda, water in Uganda and Kenya, and a deaf children’s home (Sam’s Place) in Kenya. W have helped send rice into Myanmar and helped with the rebuilding of Sint Maarten. These are always done working together with our brothers and sisters in the countries themselves. And most of them are combined with sharing the word of God at the same time as assisting where needed in daily life. It is exciting to know - at least on paper and email - that we are family with brothers and sisters around the world. 

At the end of 2024 we had one more 5th Sunday. We also had news from the Philippines of a horrible accident among our brothers and sisters there. who had been sharing good news. We were thankful that we could help in some small way. It is always a challenge to see how we can send funds to these places around the world (especially with heightened security measures in more recent years), but we are thankful that it is possible. 

What this does above all is remind us all of how we are connected as the family of Christ. The more we get to know our brothers and sisters around the globe, the more we become aware of needs and are able to help, pray and know that we are one in God. This brings us even closer to one another as a family. 

And always amazes me how much is given by the family here. I do not need to mention amounts since each members has given simply as they were moved and with a joyful heart. But I am almost always moved to tears to see how graciously this small family gives of themselves. They even made us the recipients of their graciousness when we have unexpectedly had to travel to the US (or even when it was planned). We are so thankful to be working with a family that understands and shows this grace that they have been given in this wonderful family of God. 

Being taken care of

Giving to others is great. Jesus spoke truth when he said it is more blessed to give than to receive. And yet there are many times that we need to learn to accept help. How else will we be able to accept the amazing grace that God offers us. If we are always trying to pay things back, or feeling ashamed of receiving help because we feel we should do it on our own, then we cannot experience forgiveness or grace or how good it is to be part of a loving, helpful family. 

This is something that I remember learning long ago from the first Christians I came to know - my best friend and his family and friends. Pizza every week or so with the youth group sounded great, but I didn’t want to be beholden. My best friend’s father let me know: “This is what we are doing now for you. Later you will do this for others. We do it because God has done it for us. We just want to be like Him.” 

This past month our car needed plenty of TLC (and then some!). And we all know that car care come at a price. Thankfully, we are well cared for because of so many of you who support us, making it possible for us to be sharing God’s good news here. And we use our car an awful lot. This was something that our church family here also understood. They have either been a recipient of us traveling to them, or have seen how we use what God has blessed us with. 

Every 5th Sunday the congregation in Maastricht holds a special contribution. This is in addition to our regular giving. The members can share a need that we can all decide to contribute to, according to our own desire and ability to help, One of the members put us own the list. We were surprised by this attention and even more by how much was given to help us out. It is amazing to be a part the body of Christ! These brothers and sisters give from the heart. 

Those many years ago I learned that the best thing about walking with God is how thankful we can be. He blesses so immensely. He does that through what He has given - true grace and forgiveness and love and peace - as well as through His body, our brothers and sisters. We are indeed so thankful for all of you who continue to support us in prayer and encouragement and financially, making it possible for us to be here. Our trip to the US this past month was also an example of this giving love. And we are so thankful for the group of people we are working with here who also know this wonderful truth of the joy of giving. 

(That is our car back in 2018 when Stephan and Natalie came to visit).