Have you ever had the experience of putting on your winter coat for the first time since last season and finding money in the pocket? Or heard a story about someone buying something at a thrift store and finding money in it – an old book, the pocket of a pair of jeans, something like that?
Do you ever “hide” money from yourself and then have the joy of finding it anew? I love it when that happens.
Well, in our congregation’s budget we have a pocket like that – a lucky pocket. Officially, it is called the Shortfall Reserve, which is a pretty boring title, though it describes the purpose well: if we have a shortfall in our budget, this money is reserved to help fill the deficit.
Anyway, I am proposing that from now on, we call it our “Lucky Pocket.”
In past years, this Lucky Pocket has helped us so that when our budget didn’t balance, we haven’t felt the depth of cuts that we might have otherwise had. This Lucky Pocket has been a gift from generations that have gone before you, who sit here now, who looked into the future and knew there might come a time when having a little extra money in reserve would help.
Now it’s our time to look to the future. Now it’s our time to put some money into that Lucky Pocket and build it up for a time when we really need it.
And lucky for us, there is a special incentive to do this. A small group of donors have created a fund – I have been calling it “the Love Match.” This fund holds $4,000 and will match, dollar for dollar, what you – and you – and you – and all of us – donate to the Lucky Pocket from now until November 17th.
We are not asking for you to make a special pledge – which means you promise to give money in the future. We are asking for you to give money now – perhaps today, but between now and Sunday, November 17th. Cash, check, electronic bank transfer, the swipe of your debit or credit card. As often as you would like between now and November 17th. You can give all at once, or each week. You can give $10, or you can give $10 each time you are here.
The Love Match will match it, dollar for dollar, up to $4000. That means that we have a chance between now and November 17th to put into the Lucky Pocket an additional $8000.
And it’s already begun! Every member of the Board of Trustees is participating. They have already ponied-up, hoping to inspire you all to do the same. Altogether, they have given $950, which will be matched by the Love Match. So we are already nearly a quarter of the way there.
Now, it’s your turn.
I ask you, and the Board of Trustees asks you: what can you do to help future TUS when it encounters a time of need? Can you give $100? $300? Can you give up a weekly coffee or espresso or cappuccino or latte at your favorite café and give $4.90 to TUS.
I can’t wait to hear at our big Rededication Festivities on November 23 & 24th, that we not only earned the whole Love Match, but that we blew it away. That our Lucky Pocket was bulging with abundance from all of you—from all of us – who thanked the generations before us, for creating this place for us, and thought of the generations to come, knowing they could rest easier here at TUS.
