February 21, 2007
Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.
Lenten Reflections
Greetings from Omaha. I've just come from an Ash Wednesday service and the words spoken echo through my being, “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.” Dust. We are dust. Now that is something to contemplate.
The ashy ancient Christian symbol marks my forehead to remind me throughout the day of my need for repentance and salvation. Thus begins the season of Lent; a season of repentance, committing anew to turn from a life self-indulgence (living for myself and being motivated by selfish desires) and to find my way back into the life of Christ (the mystery of living life with Christ and do we dare say, Christ's life lived through me).
For the next 40 days, Christians all over the world will commemorate and reflect on the ministry of Christ, moving our way through the Christian calendar to Good Friday and Easter. After a season of purification we will hopefully find ourselves more receptive to our need for this Savior who reconciles us to God through His ministry, suffering, death and resurrection.
In the small book, Seasons of the Soul: An Intimate God in Liturgical Time, Carla Mae Streeter says that Lent is NOT about giving up. She says it is about finding, healing, cleansing, weeping and reconciling. (p. 41).
As you know healing, cleansing, weeping and reconciling mark the ministry of the community of WMF. We are a community who chooses to be among the most socially, economically and politically wounded, and in relationship we find healing. We seek to cleanse the physically and spiritually sick and are purified in the process. We have been reconciled to the God of all creation and choose to embrace our identity as the beloved who are chosen to be ambassadors of reconciliation in the world (2 Corinthians 5).
It is through relationship with you that we are able to remain faithful to our calling.
The Spirituality of Fund-raising
Every month Chris and I meet to take account of the financial support that has come in for us. We are always humbled at the generosity of our people. Many of you have been with us for nearly 13 years! You've believed in us and what God is doing in and through us and you've faithfully prayed for us as we have attempted to grow up a bit! We trust that you grow alongside us as together we journey through the joys and sorrows of our friends in poverty and our broken world.
Your financial and prayer support fuels our dreams and visions for the community of WMF.
In a little book I keep on my shelf, Henri Nouwen beautifully addresses the spirituality of fund-raising. He highlights the spiritual community created in the giving and receiving of money. Chris and I want to honor you-our spiritual community- and thank you for building this community with us. In our partnership with you, we can see Christ's ongoing discipleship in our life, pressing us to greater faith, gratitude and generosity, as well as humility. We pray that you find a similar experience of personal growth as you give of your finances.
If you are not currently partnering with us financially, we want to ask you to seriously consider. In the last few months, Chris and I have not raised enough of our monthly need. We are raising only about 70% of our monthly need for salary, taxes and insurance.
As you know, even though Chris is the international director and I serve as one of the associate directors, we are still committed to raising 100% of our finances, and we are committed to living simply on a needs-based salary.
Each month to cover just our salary, taxes and insurance (this doesn't include travel costs), we need to raise $4,790.68. We are averaging a monthly support in-flow of $3,341.71. I'm sure all you math-wizes figured this out faster than me, but that means that we are in need of coming up with $1,448.97 more each month. So, we are praying for a number of more people to stand with us in this spiritual community that is committed to the vision of WMF. We need either 10 more people to commit to $150 per month or 20 people to give $75 per month, or 30 people to give $50 per month, or 75 people to give $20 per month.
We would be honored to include you in the spiritual community that has formed over the years in this generous movement of giving and receiving. Will you prayerfully consider joining us in this way?
For Henri, the proclamation and invitation involve a challenging call to conversion for fund-raisers and donors alike. “Fund-raising is always a call to conversion”. All are called into a new, more spiritual relationship with their needs and their resources…donors also participate in a new communion with others while becoming part of a much larger spiritual vision and fruitfulness. Sue Mosteller, CSJ, The Spirituality of Fund-raising
If you would like to increase your monthly giving or begin a new monthly donation, please fill out the enclosed piece of paper and send it in to the office with your check. An automated deduction form has been included as well for your convenience.
shalom,