Hey Friends:
Happy Thanksgiving to you!
For some of us, the holidays look a little different this year. Or, maybe they look a lot different for you. Even in the midst of a pandemic, we still have much for which we can express thanks.
As we talked about in the message on Sunday, Nov. 22, I want to encourage you to engage the spiritual practice of giving thanks:
- Take time to remember and write down as many things for which you are thankful as you can. Then, take the time to pray, giving thanks to God and blessing the Lord.
- Practice giving thanks at least once a day in writing, in prayer, and/or in conversation with others.
- Reflect with yourself and/or others as you practice giving thanks. What you are learning? What challenge(s) you are facing? What transformation is taking place in your life as you practice giving thanks on a regular basis?
Thank you for being a generous people
Calvary, you are a generous people. You give freely of your time, energy, and resources. Throughout the year, you express obedience with the tithes and generosity with offerings over and above the tithes to missions, benevolence, and other giving opportunities. Thank you for being generous.
Your impact through giving
It is amazing to think of the lives that are impacted locally and globally through our giving as a church family. As we pool our resources, we empower ministry and impact others through a variety of ways.
- We are changing the trajectory of children for good through our partnership with Hairgrove Elementary and Copperfield Church.
- Our children’s ministry is flourishing, helping children to know, experience, and express the love of Jesus.
- The student ministry is raising up a new army of passionate followers of Jesus. Friends of our students are coming into a personal relationship through the testimony, love, and work of our Student Ministries Council and youth group.
- We touch the lives of those in need through ministries like CrossWalk Center, Care Net Pregnancy Center, Cy-Fair Helping Hands, Cypress Assistance Ministries, Somebody Cares, Union Baptist Association, Prison Ministry, and many other cooperative efforts.
- Through prayer on ministry teams, in small groups, during healing services, in our neighborhoods, and in our spheres of influence, Jesus is touching people through us with grace, encouragement, and healing.
- Our Prayer Room is a primary place where we contend for revival, spiritual awakening, and mercy for Greater Houston and beyond.
- Our church supports, pastors, and helps facilitate missional efforts in places like Myanmar, Liberia, Nigeria, Guatemala, Europe, Africa, Asia, and other unreached or limited access areas.
- We are sowing missions funds into our friends and ministries in countries where national lockdowns have meant unprecedented hardship and starvation for folks in poverty. Such places include Myanmar, Liberia, and Nigeria, to name a few.
- Through our benevolence ministry, we help individuals and families in times of crisis or need.
- Our small group ministry provides the first-line of care for people. These groups are also one of the primary places where know others and are known, receive and give ministry, and grow in authenticity.
- Pastor Steve Meeks’ classes, retreats, FreshWater Int’l ministry, mentoring, and leadership continue to impact lives near and far.
- Even during the pandemic, people have joined the church and have decided to follow Jesus. We continue to share good news and to baptize followers of Jesus.
- And, the list goes on and on…. Praise the Lord.
Thank you for your partnership and investment. Together, we are impacting our community, Greater Houston, and beyond.
A call to finish the year strong financially
Friends, we need to finish the year strong financially. I am grateful for how some of you have stepped up with double tithes. Others have given over and above their regular tithes. Still others have given sacrificially. And, many of you are tithing and giving faithfully.
If you have yet to experience the joy of tithing, I encourage you to take the Lord at his word and try on tithing (giving 10%, the first fruits of your income, to the Lord) (Malachi 3:8-12; 2 Corinthians 9:6-15).
If you are tithing, I encourage you to pray and consider giving over and above in this season as the Lord gives you grace or as you determine.
Let’s do this together.
- To finish the year strong, we need to go from 86% to 95% of budgeted income. So, we need about $260,000 over the next two months. Our monthly budgets for November and December total $195,125.
- Finishing the year strong means hitting our budgeted income numbers for November and December. We actually took in 102% of our budget in October.
- With the help of the Lord and your generosity, we believe finishing the year strong is possible.
- It will require each of us to be faithful in the giving of tithes and offerings.
- And, I want to invite each of us to ask the Lord what part God would have us to take on, and to consider giving over and above our regular tithes and offerings as the Lord gives grace.
- To do all that we are called to do for 2021, we need to see our giving increase throughout the year by about $116,000.
- If you are struggling financially because of loss of job, loss of income, or some other crisis, we are here to pray with you, to counsel you, and to see how we can help. Please let us know how about your need. Contact us at email@calvaryhouston.com or at 281-550-4323.
Thank you for being a part of this church family. Thank you for your desire for deep intimacy and full partnership with Jesus. Thank you for letting me share with you where we are financially as a church. And, thank you for the opportunity to cast vision for the need to finish the year strong financially.
Together, we continue to pray for those who need jobs, for the underemployed to get full employment, for your businesses to flourish, for new businesses to come forth, and for financial breakthroughs for you or your families. We continue to pray with you if you are downcast, discouraged, fearful, anxious, or depressed. The Lord is here to help you and to encourage you. And, we will continue to partner with the Lord to help you as you need healing, deliverance, salvation, and encouragement.
May the grace of the Lord abound to you. And, may your gratitude overflow with praise and thanksgiving to God this holiday season.
Blessings,
Pastor Jeff
