Last Sunday was Commitment Sunday here at JCPC. I am always moved by the part of the service when we invite everyone to come forward, presenting their Commitment Cards and "Estimates of Giving" at the Communion Table. It is one of those gestures of self-offering that we don't do very often in life. I want to express my thanks to everyone who made a commitment during that service.

Last Sunday I talked about the offering Paul collected for the poorer Christians who were part of the church in Jerusalem. In regards to this offering, he encouraged the folks in Corinth with these words:  But since you excel in everything . . . see that you also excel in this grace of giving. . . . Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.  -2 Corinthians 8:7, 11, NIV 

Paul's words about giving could be summed up this way: Finish what you started. Those words speak to us. We have talked about our vision for new buildings to reach out to others in the name of Christ. Now it is up to each one of us to "finish the task" by making a meaningful, significant, and sacrificial gift. If you have yet to do so, please make your commitment as soon as you can. You may have already received a letter in the mail inviting you to go ahead and make commitments to our Capital Campaign and/or annual ministry and mission budget, if you have not done so. If you could do this before Thanksgiving, or at least by the end of November, it would help our Session know the amount pledged so we can make a wise and faithful decision about how to move forward.

On Sunday, December 7, we will announce the total amount pledged. We will also share briefly with the congregation our Session's decision about how we plan to move forward. In addition, we will invite those who wish to go ahead and make a gift to the New Building Fund to do so.

Please continue to pray for our church family - that we will all "finish" what God has started at JCPC!