Late in 2008, I challenged the people who worship at Monaghan Presbyterian Church, Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, to give as much to the church for mission causes as they spent on Christmas gifts. The challenge was given to honor our Lord Jesus and was meant to help people experience the real meaning of Christmas and at the same time increase the financial mission giving of the church.
The appeal was very successful; enabling the church to give approximately $6,000 to several mission projects that otherwise would have received nothing.
We were able to provide full scholarships (at $350/person) to five city children from low-income families to attend Krislund Camp & Conference Center for a week of Christian camp in the woodlands of central Pennsylvania. The prayerful hope was that the youth would have a wonderful time, and come to know and begin to live for Christ.
Evidently, other churches and individuals did similar giving and praying, for a miracle occurred. The woman in charge of the camp kitchen realized that a large enough percentage of the summer campers were from low income homes that she could apply to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank for food supplies. That realization, inspiration and action literally saved the camp $20,000!
God took the gift of $1,750 given by the individuals and families of Monaghan to honor the birthday of Jesus Christ, and multiplied it.
Small acts of giving for others can reap harvests much larger than ever imagined. In Monaghan’s case not only was the money multiplied, but also the ministry to children and youth at a summer camp multiplied!
In our first year of pilgrimage into becoming a Missional church we have been “Dwelling in the Word.” We have been reflecting on the Luke 10:1-12 passage in which Jesus states that “The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers...” In our case the Lord of the harvest took the small monetary gifts from a few laborers and multiplied the gifts into a huge harvest.
