Value #3: Generous Outreach
A Word to Our Congregation from Our Senior Pastor
The values of a church are more than words printed on a page. They describe the kind of people we are prayerfully becoming together. The five devotionals I’ve written for this week invite every member of St. Andrew United Methodist Church to reflect on the convictions that guide our shared ministry.
These values of our church are:
Excellence in Ministry
Primacy of Scripture
Generous Outreach
Warm Hospitality
Thoughtful Innovation
Each new day should begin with Scripture, draw wisdom from history, and then turn our efforts toward fulfilling our shared calling at St. Andrew UMC to grow our church. Our shared purpose is not simply to admire these values but to put them into practice. As we offer God our best, root ourselves in the Bible, give of ourselves generously, welcome others warmly, and remain open to faithful new approaches to ministry, we make room for Christ to work through us and grow God’s kingdom here on earth.
May these devotionals strengthen our unity, enlarge our vision, and inspire each of us to take a faithful step forward. God has already blessed St. Andrew UMC with a rich heritage and many devoted people. Together, by God’s grace, we can build upon that foundation and move confidently into the future God is preparing for us.
Blessings,
Pastor Geoff
Value #3: Generous Outreach
Grace that Gives
"God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7, NRSV
Generosity is sometimes mistaken for something only wealthy people can practice. We may imagine that meaningful giving begins when we have extra money, extra time, unusual talent, or fewer responsibilities. Scripture presents a different vision. Christian generosity begins not with abundance in our hands but with grace in our hearts.
Paul teaches that giving should not be reluctant or forced. It grows from trusting that God can provide what is needed for every good work. This does not mean that every faithful person will possess unlimited resources. It means that God can use what we willingly offer—our time, talent, gifts, service, and witness—and multiply its influence beyond what we can see.
Mary McLeod Bethune offers a powerful example from American history. In 1904, she opened a school for Black girls in Daytona Beach, Florida, with five students, her son, only $1.50, deep faith in God, and an unwavering belief in the value of education. When additional funds were needed, she sold homemade ice cream and sweet potato pies and organized concerts. The small school eventually grew into what is now Bethune-Cookman University. Bethune did not wait until she possessed everything required. She began by placing what she had in service to a God-given purpose.
That is how outreach often begins. One person notices a need. Someone else offers an hour. Another provides a meal. One writes a check. One more teaches a skill. Additional people pray faithfully. And a congregation then tells a friend what Christ and the church have meant to them. No single gift appears large enough to transform a community, but generosity becomes powerful when the people of God give together.
At St. Andrew UMC, generous outreach must remain part of our identity. We do not exist only to preserve a building or provide religious services for ourselves. Jesus sends us outward. Our community should be stronger, kinder, safer, and more hopeful because this congregation is here. The question is not simply, “What does our church need?” It is also, “What has God placed in our hands that our neighbors need?” Some of us can give financially. Some have years of wisdom. Some can repair, cook, organize, teach, sing, visit, encourage, lead, or pray. Young families can witness to other families. Retired adults can offer experience and time. Every generation has something essential to contribute.
Generosity is not measured only by the size of a gift. It is measured by the love, faith, and willingness with which it is offered. When we give ourselves to Christ’s mission, we discover that outreach does not merely bless the recipient. God also enlarges the heart of the giver.
Action for Today
Choose one of these: your time, talent, gifts, service, or witness, and offer it intentionally. Make a call, meet a need, volunteer, give, or tell someone why your faith matters.
