Good News(and a little math) Begets Good News
“Beget” – a funny and archaic work found in older Bible translations meaning, “to cause or create.” There’s been a lot of “begetting” in the last week at FUMC.
First, we had some 80 members volunteer under the expert leadership of Randy Jennings to park cars for four days for the Plano Balloon Festival. We raised $25,000 for missions in the community.
Then, two days later, we held our largest missions golf tournament under the leadership of Keith Landau, David Boatfield, David Keene, and Jennifer Pittman. With another host of volunteers, we enjoyed a record 102 golfers participating – again with all proceeds going to missions. We will reveal that total and our grand total this Sunday during our Consecration Service. Good news tends to beget good news. This is the nature of grace and the gospel. Just how great will be up to the Holy Spirit and all of us. Here is some data:
The average household income in Plano is $145,448.
The median household income in Plano is $105,679.
Let’s use the lower number.
We have 1,051 member families at FUMC, not all of whom are active (this does not include about 100 constituent/guest families who engage regularly).
Let’s use 900 to be conservative.
The United States charitable giving rate of all people – Christian and non-Christian – is about 2% of income – the lowest level since 1995.
Let’s use 2%.
$105,679 X 900 X .02 = $1,902,222.
This amount is close to what we are tracking to receive in 2024 for FUMC’s ministry.
Now if we choose to be above average by even just 1%,
then $105,679 X 900 X .03 = $2,853,333.
This would beget an approximately $700,000 surplus in 2025 for FUMC’s ministry.
Small changes can make an enormous difference. We have figured out in this month of Enough that, for most of us, generosity and joy can increase by moving money over from things that do not last, to things that bring lasting contentment. Send or bring your Estimate of Giving card this Sunday; the children will be here to receive them. For all the good news we will have to report, we have the opportunity to beget still more!
Connecting God and Grace to Self and Community,
