What is completely4giving all about?

Focussing on ‘A Shared Vision for the Parish of Kemsing and Woodlands’ during Lent 2023, an outline ‘Vision’ has been established, expressed in terms of:

‘Our relationship with God’

‘Our relationship with each other’

‘Our relationship with the community’

In a nutshell, to be…

Rooted in Jesus - Nurturing his Love - Growing his Church

The foundation of the Vision is our relationship with God, responding to his love…completely4giving responding to God’s love  enables us to do this as we work through the Lent Studies Booklet and hear each of the associated sermons, under five headings:

giving creator  - God is the Creator of all things and the Lord of all history.

giving redeemer  - in Jesus Christ God made himself known and acted to save the world.

giving enabler  - through the Holy Spirit, God is at work in the Church and in the world to fulfil his purposes.

giving generously – our skills and abilities, our money and material wealth are all gifts from God.

giving completely – God has enabled us to experience life in all its fullness; called to make Jesus Christ and the Gospel known.

With Lent 2024 Packs available in St Mary's Church, Kemsing, completely4giving and responding to God’s love will mean:

giving God time and a proper place in our lives.

making an honest assessment of our skills and the gifts God has given us and then putting them to work!

regarding our money and our material possessions as a trust from God, to be used for his work in the world.

The Way ahead

In order to help each of us respond you will find in the Lent 2024 pack, 

a Studies Booklet
a Prayer and Information Bookmark
a Skills/Time Response Sheet
a Gift Aid Declaration
a Standing Order Mandate
a Response Envelope

After you have completed the Studies Booklet please prayerfully consider how you will take action in terms of your relationship with God and fill in the response sheets enclosed.

Make an assessment of how much you are currently giving to God in terms of your skills and time and think about how God is calling you to serve Him.

Review your existing financial giving and consider how you might further God’s work through His Church by giving more.

To help you do this the official Church of England giving guidelines are 5% of ‘take-home pay’ (or ‘disposable income’) to and through the local church, leaving (perhaps) 5% for other causes.

Giving money is not simply about funding the church’s mission (and maintenance...). It is a lifestyle choice, brought about by moving into fuller and more faithful discipleship.

Finally…

completely4giving and responding to God’s love will enable:

the Vision of the Parish to be brought to fruition as we seek God’s will for our lives and His Church…

Our response to the God who creates, saves and equips us is to offer Him everything and this must mean a measure of sacrifice. As Isaac Watts has put it:

Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were an offering far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Important Dates

Sermon Series - at ALL Sunday morning Services

18 Feb       giving creator

25 Feb       giving redeemer

3 Mar         giving enabler

10 Mar      giving generously

17 Mar      giving completely

Central Church Lent Group Studies

Monday evenings at 8.00pm in St Mary’s Church, Kemsing

19 Feb       giving creator

26 Feb       giving redeemer

4 Mar         giving enabler

11 Mar      giving generously

18 Mar      giving completely

Thursday afternoons at 1.30pm in St Mary’s Church, Kemsing

22 Feb       giving creator

29 Feb       giving redeemer

7 Mar         giving enabler

14 Mar      giving generously

21 Mar      giving completely

The Studies are also designed for individual use alongside the Sermon Series. If you are not a member of a Bible Study Group, Home Group, or other Church Group you are encouraged to spend time working though the Study Booklet and make your personal response to God.

completely4giving 

Generous God,

Thank you for your love for us as creator, redeemer and enabler.

All we have comes from you.

Help us to develop and share our gifts. Amen

 

For more information contact Mike Lodge

Telephone: 07484 245993

Email: ven.mikelodge@btinternet.com