From Our Associate Pastor: Our Money Story

What is your earliest money story? Maybe a parent gave you some change to buy a snack at a store in your neighborhood. Maybe a family member gave you money to place in an offering plate during church. Or maybe you earned a few dollars in exchange for doing chores around the house so you could save up for something special.

We each have many money stories, stories about how we learned what money is, how it worked, what it can do. We have stories about times when money made us anxious, when just the right amount of money came out of nowhere. We each have stories about jobs, paychecks and saving up for big things.

This year’s stewardship campaign theme is “Our Money Story.” Throughout the four Sundays in October, we will remember, release, reimagine, and restore our money stories so that, with the help of God, we as the Peoples Church can write a new money story together.

Now, I know what you’re thinking, “that’s a lot of focus on money! Can’t we talk about something else?” I’ve been a Midwesterner long enough that I know money can be a tricky topic. We often want to avoid talking about money altogether. But what if instead of avoiding talking about money we decided to simply reframe the way we think about it? After all, money and possessions are one of the most common topics in scripture, and Jesus talked about money more than faith and prayer. Our money story, therefore, is a spiritual story, and my hope is that these conversations about money and stewardship can ultimately be liberating and inviting.

As you think about your own relationship with money these next few weeks, I pray that you would also consider giving to this church as part of your money story.

May God bless us as we do this transformative work of generosity!

Yours in Christ,

- Rev. Haley Hansen