Be encouraged today about the offerings you give to God’s mission through our congregation, St. Luke. There are two groups I’ll share with today, because they have differing circumstances.

If you are in the group of people whose employment and/or financial security is not yet threatened by this COVID-19. . .

  • I invite you to be aware of, and thankful for, how blessed you are right now;
  • We all together thank God for you, and the ability he’s given you to resource his ministry at St. Luke and beyond;
  • I encourage you not to stop, or scale back, your generosity to our congregation. I agree that we are feeling less than confident right now about almost everything. However many times during the day you need to affirm and remind yourself that our confidence is not in Wall Street, our wealth, stable government, and carefree health, but our confidence is in the Lord. As the prophet Jeremiah was led to share, “The one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence indeed is the Lord, is blessed” (Jer. 17:7);
  • We cannot gather. If you have not yet arranged for your offering to be given online, this is the time. It’s quick, simple, and enables the church to have reliable, consistent resources. You can arrange, through online giving, for your offering to be given as an automatic withdrawal from an account; you can explore other ways of blessing God’s mission. I’ve included information about how you can do that at the end of this page;
  • Thank you.

If your livelihood is now in question because of the COVID-19 situation. . .

  • Please know that I, our staff, and leaders are before the throne of our Lord in prayer on your behalf, every day;
  • If the Holy Spirit is encouraging you to continue, at this time, your present level of giving, seek God’s heart about that through his Word (2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9 for a start);
  • If you decide the most prudent thing to do is to give less at this time, not a one of us will think any less of you or judge;
  • Know this, in your spirit: This present day will not continue. It will not always be this way. If you need to scale back, the Lord will enable you to give again in a way that brings you joy, and blesses others;
  • Thank you.

We have our best people looking at our congregation’s financial affairs, preparing to take the best care we can of the ministry and facilities our Lord has entrusted to us. There will be time in the near future for important reports and forecasts. As vital as those are, that’s not our message today.

Our message is, however: Those who are blessed to be able to give, be a blessing; those who are not in that situation, take courage.

Read and take into your heart:

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. . .He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” -Romans 8:18,32

May God bless you, richly, through our Savior Jesus.
Pastor John

Below are some thoughts on our best practices for giving. 
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During this time, you can give:

Before logging into Connect, select Give and enter the requested information.

 

  • Through the St. Luke Connect App;

The app is St. Luke-Ann Arbor “Connect” and you would select Give.

 

  • By Text

Text “Give” to 734-359-7179. Wait a few seconds until you receive a reply, and follow the prompts.

 

  • Through Mail

St. Luke Lutheran Church
4205 Washtenaw Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48108

 

  • With Stock

St. Luke’s Charles Schwab Account # 8411-3768; DTC #0164. Please email Susan Jones, Director of Finance and Operations, the name of the stock and number of shares.

If you have any questions or issues about giving, you can contact Susan Jones or call (734) 971-0550.