End of year need: $727,573
For many of us, Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” is a favorite. You know the song: “Sweet Caroline/Good times never seemed so good./I’ve been inclined/To believe they never would.”
The song has become an anthem for Boston Red Sox fans at Fenway Park. In 1997, Amy Tobey, an employee in charge of music, first played it as a nod to a friend with a new baby named Caroline. She kept playing it around the eighth inning — but only in games when the home team was winning and the mood was already festive.
A few years later, team exec Charles Steinberg said the song should be played at every game, no matter the score. According to writer Kevin Slane, Steinberg felt the song might have “transformative powers” to lift the spirits of the crowd, even when success wasn’t forthcoming.
Like most churches, we’re entering the eighth inning of the year behind in our giving. We do a stewardship campaign, which is basically our version of “Sweet Caroline.” Through the year, we typically give 75% of the budget in 11 months and enter December needing to give a large amount. As near as I can tell, that has been our pattern for decades. And still, the reality that we need to give $727,573 in 31 days feels daunting.
But if I step back from that big number, what I know is that we can do this. And if we each do our part to give gratefully, if we count our blessings and decide to give thanks to the One who blessed us — we will have more than enough. If you have already given all you can for the year, thank you. Your gifts have sustained us and made possible a whole set of new means for delivering ministry to people right where they are. If you have not yet given or can give more, I pray you will do so in the next four weeks. I believe you will find real joy in being a part of all we are doing together. And I hope you’ll find real peace in helping the church enter the coming year on solid ground.
We have a great challenge before us to fully give our budget, but there’s a great celebration ahead if we do so. Valerie and I are going to pray about what we can give over and above our tithe to help us get there. Would you do the same thing? As we give, each week we will decorate this tree to show the accomplishing of this good work together.
—Timothy Peoples