Economic Reality

The news this week has not been encouraging. The big three automakers are saying they will be bankrupt by spring. Stores like Circuit City and Blockbuster say they may not make it to Christmas.....and the list goes on.

I also know that just about every week here at our church I hear about another family who has lost their job. Some are moving to another city....some are looking for a job here. The experts say that "things" will probably get worse before they get better.

These are definitely times that test our faith and demand a continual prayer for God's grace and help. In reading through the history of the Great Depression you read that it was a time where people who had never been to church or who never really took their faith serious.....were going and asking God for help. That is the good part and we are seeing that here now at our church.

The other reality for churches during these times is that people stop giving to their local church. We are also seeing that here. Our weekly offerings are lower now ...with more people ....than they have been in 16 plus months. These are the economic realities we as a church are living through too.

I am calling for each person at our church that reads this BLOG today to whisper a prayer like this:

1) Pray for those who have lost jobs.
2) Pray for those who still have jobs but their wages have dropped.
3) Pray for our church that we can sustain at a high level with the drop of giving.
4) Pray that people will continue to give as God as asked them.

Like every other American and church challenge this country has faced, we will get through this one as we stay together under the leadership of Christ. Tough times call for tough people. Challenging times call for people of faith. Hard times call for people who also rely on God's grace.

Today's Bible Reading 1 Corinthians 15 & 16