From the council-Joe Shackelford

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

---