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Message from Pastor Larry – July 2007
Dear Saints:
Last week I read an Associated Press news article proclaiming that Americans had reached a new record of charitable giving for 2006. In fact, Americans gave close to 300 billion dollars to charitable organizations. This exceeded charitable giving in 2005, which was bolstered by an outpouring of donations for the Asian tsunami disaster and aid for our own hurricane victims.
The article was based on information compiled in the annual report of Giving USA Foundation at Indiana University's Center on Philanthropy.
Giving USA Chairman Richard Jolly remarked that more than 75 percent was contributed by individual donors. But more interestingly, the report noted that 65 percent of these individual contributions came from households with an annual income of less than $100,000.
The largest recipient of donations was given to religious organizations ($96.82 billion or 32.8 percent) followed by educational charities ($40.98 billion or 13.9 percent).
Now here is the kicker: In comparison to other countries in the world, USA gave twice as much to charitable organizations as the next most giving nation.
People can say what they will about Americans. The fact remains that we are the most generous nation on earth. It’s not something to boast about; but it is something for which we should be proud. A nation that gives will feel good about itself. And individuals, families, and institutions that give will feel good about themselves also.
Last year, as a result of our Consecration Sunday campaign and further budget decisions at our Annual Congregational Meeting, the members of our congregation pledged significant increases in giving, and I’m pleased to say that going into the summer months our giving has stayed up with our budget.
As you well know, ministry requires money. Thank you, St. Matthew, for giving—and remember 2 Corinthians 9:7.
God’s blessings,
Pastor Larry
Click here to read the full Associated Press article.
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