Christ the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Leadership
    • Our History
    • The Rainbow Fish
    • Our Partners and Friends
    • Contact Us
  • Worship
    • CGS on YouTube
    • Digital Worship Bulletins
    • Music
  • Living Together
    • Calendar
    • Newsletter
    • Blog
    • Important Documents
    • Library
    • Facilities
  • Renewing Spaces
  • Breeze
  • Donate

From the council-Joe Shackelford

11/6/2019

1 Comment

 
Picture
GIVING AT CGS
For many years I was known as being cheap.  Just ask John Haselden.  I still am a bit, but not as much.  I have always tried not to be that way with my Church Community.  My parents always gave their 10% to the Catholic Church where my family attended.  There were many special projects at the church that needed extra funding beyond the 10% as well.  My parents gave till it hurt sometimes (their words not mine).  As a child I did not have a good concept of money except for what I made cutting neighborhood’s lawns and delivering the local newspaper.  

When I was a young teen my mother died and after that my dad had large amount of medical bills that needed paid, he also made sure the church got their share of his salary.  At that time my Dad told me if I wanted to continue at my Catholic High School where I was a freshman, I would need to get a part time job to pay for my tuition.  I still don’t know if it was because of money being tight or dad didn’t want me goofing around after class unsupervised because mom wasn’t around.  I learned a lot about the value of money during that time.

In my 20s and most of my 30s I didn’t go to church with any regularity.  When I did maybe a couple of bucks was given as an offering.  John and I started to go to the Metropolitan Community Church, (MCC). I loved the church and eventually was giving my 10% and then some.  They, like CGS were living on a couple large gift funds that people had left to the church.  Of course, people gave but not nearly the amount needed.  We lasted that way for about 8 years until we had to shut the doors it was a very sad day and I pray I will never have to repeat.

Here at CGS I fear we could be going in the same direction as MCC. We are different because there are a number of households at CGS that have the financial ability to give enough money to sustain the mission and the ministry of our church. We each just have to make the decision to give; to sustain with our dollars what we say we want in our church. 

For example, I love that we want to remodel the men’s bathroom and make the kitchen more usable. However, I believe we should not begin a large project until we have the dollars to do so.  In my opinion we have become too complacent with the funds we have.  If we continue the way we are going, we could end up like MCC.

Please try giving more. You can try the 10%, if it hurts too much at first, start with a smaller percentage and maybe gradually work yourself up to 10%, or as my mom and dad would say “until it hurts.” 

Or if you are already giving as much personal income as you can, maybe you can help us figure out ways to generate revenue with our valuable property. We have inherited a wonderful gift of property and facilities from God and our founders for generations to come, it can’t stop with us.  With this wondrous gift comes daunting responsibility.  I know I am very willing to help where I can, are you?  To continue our mission, CGS needs each of us to contribute. With your and God’s help we will.

In God’s blessings
Joe Shackelford

1 Comment
Informatika link
3/19/2025 10:06:29 am

What reasons does the author give for supporting CGS financially, and what worries do they share about its sustainability? Regard <a href="https://soc.telkomuniversity.ac.id/kick-off-ajang-digital-kreatif-dan-kompetisi-informatika-adikara-2024/">Informatika</a>

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Christ the Good Shepherd 

    Various editorials, articles, and other items of interest.

    Archives

    March 2025
    February 2025
    September 2024
    June 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Choir
    Community
    Faith
    Music
    Pastor
    Pride
    Racism

1550 Meridian Ave. 
San Jose, CA 95125

(408)266-8022
​
[email protected]
Picture
Picture

El Camino Real Conference

Photo from wuestenigel
  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Leadership
    • Our History
    • The Rainbow Fish
    • Our Partners and Friends
    • Contact Us
  • Worship
    • CGS on YouTube
    • Digital Worship Bulletins
    • Music
  • Living Together
    • Calendar
    • Newsletter
    • Blog
    • Important Documents
    • Library
    • Facilities
  • Renewing Spaces
  • Breeze
  • Donate