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Counting.

I am often asked, ‘Were there many there?’ particularly in regard to the congregations I share worship with on a Sunday. My response is generally couched in terms of my inability to count. When teaching young people about number bases, a mystery to many people since we went decimal, we used to have great fun counting like ‘cave dwellers’ (politically correct term for cavemen). Ugh! indicated enough for today, Ugh! Ugh! for today and tomorrow, any more was too much – and from this approach binary number system and the computer age!!

So, I guess October congregation counting will be fun, and the balance sheets for last year, or the budgets for next! Of course from where I sit I only get glimpses of such numbers. Generally the congregation counts encourage me, particularly as they make us think about those who belong, those for whom we have sense of care and those with whom we are beginning to make contact.

Back to ancient days, and into Harvest Festival, or at least the presenting of the first fruits of the harvest. Yes, the ancient knew how to have any excuse for a party – both ‘first fruits’ and ‘in-gathering’ were to be celebrated. Who were to be included, the whole extended family, yes, even the difficult ones; and then the widow and the orphan and the stranger. So, count widely and well.

Now what did you bring to the Harvest Table? I suspect that there was a time when this was the way in which the Christian community gathered the resources it would need to do its work, the tithe barn filled. If this was the case, maybe in our counting, tax returns in, we should reckon afresh our tithe. Some would encourage 10% as first fruit, and then responsible use of the other 90%. Out of such offering what rich resources would be set free to enable the work of the church/kingdom. Makes you think – !

But as the church presents its balance sheet, its counting, can we imagine really putting the resources to work, now! Tom Stuckey, in his Pastoral Address after his year as President, suggested that we have a five year window of opportunity to do some bold things – I think that is another way of saying ‘Now is the rainy day, – or asking  ‘Where are you storing your treasure?’

Counting. Take a Sunflower and dissect it so as to count the seeds. Allow that to be an indication of the way that God counts and then act.

One, two, three, Jesus loves me.

One, two, Jesus loves you.

Three, four, he loves you more than ever before.

I think that’s how it goes, certainly enough love for today and tomorrow.

Yours in love,

Bill Anderson.