Finance First Friday: So What Next?

by Eliza Mae Lundberg

I met Eliza Mae Lundberg, and her then fiance Jon, in 2018 when they were planning their wedding. Over the years since I have enjoyed meaningful and inspiring conversations with Eliza. Knowing she would bring a young but wise perspective to our leadership team, I was thrilled when Eliza accepted the invitation to join St. John’s vestry last year. Aware that she has been going through some life transitions and facing some big questions, I invited Eliza to share her reflections as they relate to her faith and finances. While our situations are all unique I believe Eliza raises questions that we can all explore for ourselves.

Eliza and Jon were married at St. John’s in 2019. Though they have much in common, it is in a “mixed marriage” when it comes to their backgrounds with money.

Let’s go back to my nineties childhood. My dad was a penny pincher who instructed my mom on how many pieces of toilet paper she “should” be using. He was, specifically, a rich penny pincher. Old white people money from the south let him do nothing but live off of his investments and whatever else he wanted to do.

Meanwhile, Jon grew up in a family of four kids and no investments or even a savings account until two years ago. Fortunately, nobody had a health crisis. Debts were able to be consolidated. They were VERY LUCKY. Jon’s parents were not penny pinchers. To this day they are generous people and are supportive of their adult children.

Changes, losses, and traumatic experiences in her family and career left Eliza facing questions and transitions.

My dad died in 2008 and I have a bunch of his dead white people money. I don’t know what to do with it. I’m still a penny pincher like my dad.

I was a hospital nurse for 4 years, and I don’t want to be a nurse anymore. In case you haven’t heard, the American healthcare system was already on life support and COVID turned it into a complete dumpster fire. I’ve put up with abuse, harassment, being assaulted, and 12-hour shifts overnight on a three-day weekend ending in a long commute home over icy roads. I got so burned out, I would cry on the way to work, at work, on the way home from work, and any time I thought about going to work. You can imagine I never want to be in that emotional state again.

So now what?

Even a stable and healthy relationship feels a strain when questions and uncertainties about money and the future come into play.

Jon and I were fortunate to nab our dream house in 2020 before the housing market went down the tubes (all thanks to Benji Koshy, Saint John’s best realtor). Our relationship is now five years old and we’re ready to have kids.

Jon’s in school to add a Museum Studies certificate to a Bachelor’s of History. He makes a few bucks at the Minnesota History Center, hoping to someday have a historian’s position there.

I’ve been the primary income earner so far in our marriage. I just accepted a position as Client Advocate at the Saint Paul Opportunities Center. It’s part of Catholic Charities, connecting under resourced folks with needed services—everything from free laundry to vaccines. It’s the kind of work I want to do and a nice change from nursing. It also pays half as much as my old job.

It’s the first big life decision that’s kind of pitched us against each other. Even just the idea of losing half our income has put a stress on our relationship. Jon, who grew up in a family where luck played a huge factor in how their lives turned out, is understandably worried. Kids are expensive, historians are not paid what they are worth…what if I hate this new job anyway? What if our lives completely change? Eliza the Penny Pincher gets where he’s coming from, but is excited by the challenge of figuring out how to live with less.

Trying to figure out the problem sometimes leads to more and more questions, and it can be hard to untangle such an earthly mess of threads like money and race and evil and insecurity in order to find the threads that lead us to God.

Why should a perfectly healthy relationship weaken over smaller paychecks? Why do jobs that are the most important tend to pay the least? Why did my rich ancestors in the Jim Crow South think it was okay to hoard wealth? Why do I feel guilty about keeping my portion of that to pay off college loans?

Money is stupid.

And most importantly, how does my faith come into this? Some of the most sacred moments of my life have been inside my relationship with Jon. I feel the Holy Spirit nudging me somewhere to do something, but I’m not sure what.

My old youth pastor used to say “God’s will is less like a target you can hit and more like a playground with a fence around it”. In other words, no matter what questions come up, I’m safe on this playground, counting pennies and wrestling with ethical questions and cutting ties with financial security. Because these are God’s toys and God’s tools, and God is on this playground with me.

Does any of this sound familiar? What changes, loss, or traumatic experiences have left you facing questions and transitions? When have uncertainties about money and the future put a strain on your relationships? How have you been able to find your way back to God? Please consider sharing your reflections, you never know who will benefit from hearing your story.

Thank you Eliza for your insightfulness and courage to share your reflections and questions with us honestly. And, thank you for your leadership on vestry and your work in the world, you are a blessing. I will be praying with you as you embark on this next step.

If you would like tools and support to help you deal with difficulties around money and live the abundant life that is promised to us in Christ, please reach out to me or a member of the clergy. It is our privilege to walk with you through all your joys and hardships. Contact Executive Administrator, Sarah Dull.

Finance First Friday: Cutting Back to Move Forward

by Sarah Dull

With rising prices and interest rates, maybe your budget isn’t stretching as far as it used to. Whatever the reason, many people are facing financial challenges or anticipate they will be facing them soon. Proverbs 14:23 warns us, in all toil there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. So, this month, I suggest we get to work figuring out how we are going to prepare our finances for this changing economy.

As many horticulturists will tell us, one of the keys to long term health and growth of a garden is thoughtful trimming and pruning. By cutting back and/or removing dying tree limbs, overgrown shrubs, or diseased plants, there is a chance for new life to flourish. It is the same with our finances; to flourish in the likely coming economy, it would be prudent of us to undertake some trimming and pruning of our expenses now.

This is going to require some budgeting work, but before you run away screaming in horror, please take 20 minutes to listen to this NPR podcast about overhauling your budget. Kristin Wong, author of Get Money, and Jessie Mecham, author of You Need a Budget, offer easy, lighthearted ideas to help your budget feel more like liberation than handcuffs.

I hope what you heard will empower and encourage you to make the financial adjustments necessary to continue living your best life, whatever challenges may come. If you would like more tools and support to help you deal with difficulties around money and live the abundant life that is promised to us in Christ, please reach out to me or a member of the clergy. It is our privilege to walk with you through all your joys and hardships. And remember what Paul wrote to the Philippians:

I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:12-13

Discussing money can be triggering, prompting feelings of fear or shame. Maybe that is why Jesus talked about money and possessions more than faith and prayer. Sharing our stories can be liberating and transformative.

As with most spiritual practices, we gain strength when we share with and support each other. To write a post, offer resources, submit an article, or do an interview for Finance First Friday blog, please contact Executive Administrator, Sarah Dull. You never know who needs to hear your story!

Finance First Friday: Pledging as a Spiritual Practice

It is the first Friday of October which means those emails and letters asking you to make a pledge of support for next year will soon be arriving. But why? Why should you make a pledge? Why not just give? I knew the perfect person to answer those questions, long time parishioner, former warden, and stewardship chair, Lynn Hertz. I have had the privilege of working with Lynn for many years and I know that, for her, pledging is a spiritual practice very dear to her heart so I asked her to share her thoughts with us.

As church members we are familiar with the request each year that we pledge some of our time and money to support Saint Johns. Pledges are financial commitments which allow the church to have a reasonably accurate idea of how much we can spend in the coming year. Without them it is difficult to plan an accurate budget, or determine raises for the clergy and staff who work on our behalf. Pledges support our liturgy, outreach, music, and programming. They are a tangible way for each of us to participate in our common mission to be God’s hands and feet in the world.

Pledging is a blessing to the life of the church. It also can be a vital gift to us individually as we try to live as Christians in an uncertain and sometimes scary world.

The Bible talks a lot about money and other forms of wealth, and it was a major focus of Jesus’s parables and teaching. Scripture dwells on themes that are important to us, and God understands that money is hugely important. Money, or more accurately the things it can bring us, is simultaneously a necessity and a stumbling block, and through Scripture we are given practical guidance about how God wants us to use our financial resources.

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Hebrews 13:16

Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:7

Do not say to yourself “My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.”

Deuteronomy 8:17

It is clear from these verses, and a great many more, that we are to share what we have. Furthermore, we are to do it cheerfully and without making a big show about it. We are told to beware of giving our material wants precedence over our love of God and our obligation to care for those in need. We are reminded that neither wealth nor poverty are solely the result of our own actions.

We are also asked to do something that for many of us is very difficult. We are asked not to worry. Not to worry about having enough, not to worry about what comes next.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet our Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?

Matthew 6:26-27

I know that for me not worrying is the most difficult teaching about wealth, and the hardest to honor.

Years ago, when I was about forty, I was diagnosed with cancer. Our three children were in elementary school and in addition to my fear of suffering or death I was terrified of leaving them. At about that time there was a well publicized story about a lottery winner who won more than 100 million dollars. I vividly remember thinking that all of that wealth could not change my diagnosis, keep me safe, mother my kids, or free me from fear. What helped me through this time was the care and support I received from others, and a sense of God’s loving presence, stronger than I’ve felt before or since.

It’s been almost twenty five years, and while I thought those lessons would be with me forever, I fall into old ways of thinking. I too often look to money as a source of safety, and focus on what I lack rather than the abundance around me. I start to think that if I had just a little bit more I wouldn’t need to worry about this or that, and then I could be more generous with others.

The act of formally committing some of my money to St. Johns helps me to remember that my relationships with God and with other people are where true safety lies. By pledging I commit to making them a priority. Pledging helps me to remember that I have more than enough. It helps me to remember that I have been blessed and that sharing those blessings only increases them.

Finally, pledging helps me to work at giving sacrificially rather than offering what, skewed by a false sense of scarcity, I think I can spare. For me sacrificial giving doesn’t mean going without necessities, or giving up many non-necessities that bring me joy. It does mean that I think seriously about how much to give, I pray over it, and I stretch a little each year.

The amount we give is based in part on our individual circumstances, and a small pledge from one person is often more sacrificial than a much larger one from another. All pledges, large or small, are a tangible commitment to our life at St. Johns and our promise as Christians to share what we have.

My annual pledge to Saint John’s is a gift to the church, and a blessing to me.

Thank you Lynn, you are a blessing to Saint John’s!
Discussing money can be triggering, prompting feelings of fear or shame. Maybe that is why Jesus talked about money and possessions more than faith and prayer. Sharing our stories can be liberating and transformative.
As with most spiritual practices, we gain strength when we share with and support each other. To write a post, offer resources, submit an article, or do an interview for Finance First Friday blog, please contact Executive Administrator, Sarah Dull. You never know who needs to hear your story.

Finance First Friday: Decolonial Stewardship of God’s Resources

by Sarah Dull

The first faith forum series this fall is Decolonial Stewardship of God’s Resources. In preparation, I thought it may be helpful for us to look at how we got away from the early teachings of stewardship and some ideas for practicing decolonial stewardship of God’s resources.

Before we start, a quick reminder: In the September/October 2021 issue of The Evangelist Magazine I explained stewards are people of authority who are entrusted with the duty of managing and caring for another person’s property and how God made us stewards of what God has made.

Christianity was born amongst the oppressed of the Roman Empire. Early believers lived in communal devotion and sharing.

All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.

Acts 2:44-45

Over 300 years later, Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity. When the emperor became Christian, the empire became Christian. Suddenly, the persecuted became the establishment. Over the subsequent centuries Christianity spread throughout Europe and instead of being the faith of subjugated middle easterners, Christianity became the religion of the world’s most powerful white Europeans.

Many European leaders focused on passages in the bible that flattered their egos and supported their ambitions, such as Proverbs 22:7 that tells us The rich rules over the poor…, ignoring the next verse, that says, Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity…. Or Deuteronomy 15:6, when God says those God blesses will rule over many nations and will not be ruled over, ignoring the next verses, that command the needy to be willingly taken care of. Or Romans 13:1-7 that says every person is subject to the governing authority who God has instituted, ignoring the next verses, that command us to love one another without mention of rank.

This misinterpretation or misuse of our Christian scriptures fostered a belief of superiority and righteousness to devastating effect. As well as being used to justify the exploitation of their own citizens and neighbors, European leaders often used Christian teachings to justify the colonization of nations around the world.

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy defines colonialism as a practice of domination, which involves the subjugation of one people to another. Contrary to the propaganda that suffering heathens were being educated and saved through baptism, many lands were plundered and stripped of their resources, and millions of people abused and murdered.

During the height of European colonialism, 15^th Century through World War II, financial culture was built around accumulation and ownership. There was even a mass market in owning each other. The idea of humans only being stewards of this world and its resources was largely lost. The early believer’s ideal of communal devotion and sharing gave way to stratified societies of have and have nots.

The last 80 years has seen a slow start towards decolonization; some national sovereignties and human rights have been restored. However, centuries of colonialism are embedded deep in our culture and in our psyches. It is going to take sustained intentional work to bring about decolonial stewardship of God’s resources. Hence, the forums this fall.

In terms of financial management, I think, the first, and probably the hardest, thing to accept about decolonial stewardship is that we don’t own anything. God owns it. He gives it to us to be good stewards of. That goes for monarchs, governments, trade blocks, conglomerates, and individuals like me and you. Just like the government doesn’t own the taxes they collect, they are entrusted with that money to use for the good of its citizens, we do not own the resources God has entrusted to our care. That’s right, everything you have been told, all your life, about working hard and earning all you have is not true, you don’t own anything!

God created this world. Everything in this world is God’s. Yet God gives it to us to manage for God. Back in the garden, God gave Adam and Eve charge to take care of what God created. Even after the fall, God didn’t take that away from them.

I began to understand this concept when I started attending a Christian parenting group and the parent educator explained how our babies were God’s creation given to us to raise into the person God created them to be. Instead of seeing this child as mine I saw him as God’s beloved son. I think replacing the possessiveness with a duty of care has helped me be a better parent. Applying this perspective to other aspects of my life has helped me reduce personal attachment and be a better steward.

It takes time to let go of the colonial concept of ownership, but I encourage you to try. It’s liberating. At the same time, you feel a greater sense of duty to take good care of the resources entrusted to you.

Once, we have accepted our roles as stewards then the question is what makes a good steward? And for that we have lots of scripture to turn to. One of my favorites is 1 Peter 4:10:

Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.

Below, I recommend decolonial money stewardship practices grounded in scripture. The first five would also be recommended by pretty much every financial adviser in the world. From the current world’s perspective, the last four ideas about money are crazy. Yet, from God’s point of view, these are what make it possible for you to be a good steward of the money God places in your bank accounts.

Decolonial Money Stewardship Practice #1: Make A Budget

For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, “This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.”

Luke 14: 28-30

Avoid rushing into your job of managing God’s money without a plan. A budget is that plan. When you go through the steps to make a budget, you will discover what you have and what you spend. The tools are out there to make this a simple process.

However, don’t stop at creating the budget, follow the budget you make. Seek God’s help for the self-control and wisdom necessary to manage the money God gives you.

Decolonial Money Stewardship Practice #2: Avoid Debt

Pay to all what is due to them—taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honour to whom honour is due. Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

Romans 13.7-8

Debt has so many downsides. It causes stress, can contribute to relationship breakdowns, and poor finances can limit new opportunities, to name a few. With the amount of debt climbing every day, it is no wonder that many people walk around feeling like they are a slave to their financial situation. I think Jesus knew the pain of debt and His apostles’ teachings were an attempt to save us from that.

There are some worldly financial advisers who will make an exception for property mortgages, on the assumption that the value of the property will rise by more than the cost of the debt. In many cases that has been true, but it is not guaranteed. Some people have found themselves with negative equity, owing more than the property is worth, or “house poor”, struggling to pay the mortgage every month and potentially going into foreclosure. Both situations can be devastating so do your research and budgeting carefully before taking on any kind of debt and don’t be afraid to say no, it’s OK to rent until the time is right. If you do take on debt pay it off quickly and seek to live a debt-free life!

Decolonial Money Stewardship Practice #3: Take Care of Your Family

And whoever does not provide for relatives, and especially for family members, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

1 Timothy 5:8

As we go on, we will talk about using God’s resources for the good of all, but I think the above verse is clear; our priority is to take care of our family. Of course, this does not mean to excess but we do need to provide for their basic needs as best we can.

Decolonial Money Stewardship Practice #4: Give Generously

The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8

This is one place where the world’s and God’s point of view overlap perfectly: You should give. Your generosity is rewarded with tax deductions and God’s love. Throughout the bible God, Jesus, and the disciples remind us, time and again that we are blessed with resources, not for ourselves to store up, but to share with and bless others. Being decolonial stewards of God’s resources means putting them to the use God intended which is caring for all God’s people, especially the needy. Be a wise and willing giver to what God calls you to give to.

Decolonial Money Stewardship Practice #5: Save and Invest

Now concerning the collection for the saints: you should follow the directions I gave to the churches of Galatia. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put aside and save whatever extra you earn, so that collections need not be taken when I come. And when I arrive, I will send any whom you approve with letters to take your gift to Jerusalem.

1 Corinthians 16:1-3

Many people will only quote the middle verse above to justify saving for themselves, but I made sure to keep it in context. Paul was encouraging the congregation in Corinth to save for a donation to Jerusalem.

Jesus used the parable of the talents to help us understand that God wants us to invest and multiply the resources he has given us so they can be put to even greater use in God’s world. So, make sure to designate a certain amount of your budget towards saving and investing, even a small amount will grow over time. Once you have taken care of your family and debt, find worthy causes that can benefit from your good stewardship of God’s money.

Decolonial Money Stewardship Practice #6: Don’t Charge Each Other Interest & Cancel Debts

You shall not charge interest on loans to another Israelite, interest on money, interest on provisions, interest on anything that is lent.

Deuteronomy 23:19

Every seventh year you shall grant a remission of debts.

Deuteronomy 15:1

This is where it gets crazy. Not only did God warn against getting into debt he cautioned against charging interest and holding on to debt. Instead, God wants us to be generous and in right and equal relationship with each other. So, God commands, through Moses, that we do not charge each other interest and every 7 years the economy is reset. While our world is not ready to embrace this decolonial economy yet, you can practice this in your own personal interactions with family and friends.

Decolonial Money Stewardship Practice #7: Guard Your Heart Against Greed

And he said to them, ‘Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.’

Luke 12:15

This has been a secular and Christian conflict for a while. There are many biblical verses warning against greed and putting our faith in amassing “things” and yet we live in a culture that tells us more is good and we often succumb to a scarcity mindset.

My first piece of advice is to give yourself a break, it’s not easy being in a world that tends to judge us by what we have. But be assured God judges us by what’s in our hearts and that is why I advise guarding your heart against greed. Being successful is not a problem if your heart is generous.

As we work to be good stewards of the money entrusted to us, let’s check our heart often. Are we discerning what God is calling us to do with God’s money or are we trying to accumulate resources for ourselves? Pray and seek out the Holy Spirit’s help to guard your heart from the love of money.

Decolonial Money Stewardship Practice #8: Be Honest and Steady

Wealth hastily gained will dwindle, but those who gather little by little will increase it.

Proverbs 13.11-25

In a world that seeks to find the quickest way to earn a buck, I think God is telling us to slow down and take notice of the journey. When money comes easily, we think we can earn wealth without really working for it, and we can become so blinded by the money that it becomes our goal, instead of what we can learn, and how we can grow. Quick money-making projects are also more likely to involve taking advantage of others. Even if it’s not technically illegal, is that what God would want you involved in?

What “get rich quick” people fail to realize is that the money itself really isn’t the ultimate reward for success. The process of earning the money is the reward. True and lasting success isn’t about what you achieve, it’s who you become along the journey. So, we need to learn to appreciate the experiences we are earning instead of the money.

Decolonial Money Stewardship Practice #9: Seek Wide Counsel, Especially God’s

Without counsel, plans go wrong, but with many advisers they succeed.

Proverbs 15.22-33

Most modern financial advisers are going to be following a colonial influenced money management playbook. So, to get a decolonial perspective on managing the money entrusted to your care, I would follow king Solomon’s advice and consult a wide variety of advisers and they don’t all have to be professional financial advisers. We all have experience of living in this world and managing the resources in it. So, reach out to family, friends, fellow congregants, clergy, scripture, and God themself. Pray and discern God’s will for the resources God has entrusted to your care, good and faithful steward!

I would love to hear your thoughts about decolonial stewardship of God’s resources, especially as you process the forum discussions. Please contact me to share your thoughts and experiences.

No Escape

by the Rev. Barbara Mraz

Abortion rights, the abomination of gun laws, or my three favorite movies of all time — much as I would like to hold forth on these topics from the pulpit, the implicit expectation is that the preacher will address at least one of the lessons for the day.

It can take finesse or sneakiness, if you will, to still address the topic you really want to talk about.  I have focused on one phrase or even one word from one of the lessons in order to work in an issue I’m passionate about. This coming Sunday, however, there is no escape.  Everywhere I looked, there it was: Vulnerability.  

Could any topic be less relevant in our success-oriented, competitive culture where the best college, job, or even partner is the goal? It wasn’t that long ago that children were taught the importance of good manners and being a good person. But a book published in 1990 was instrumental in changing this with an overwhelming emphasis on individuality and the self.  What are the spiritual implications of this shift? (And you’ll never guess which book it is…). Focusing on vulnerability and success seem like a hard sell.

Fortunately, the importance of hospitality is also stressed in this Gospel from Luke. In fact, a good part of the lesson seems to be about table seating – as who should sit where!  Sounds dated – and even trivial — but think about how often we stress about who should sit where at the holiday table, or who will let us sit with them at lunch in seventh grade. In the parable, Jesus gives us a daunting “to do” list for our next get-together and definite instructions about who to invite.

It is a troubling and demanding Gospel and is all about much more than vulnerability, table manners and guest lists. Is it realistic for 2022 or do we need to dance around it with qualifiers and conditions? 

Good question.

See you in church.

Barbara

Finance First Friday: Dealing with Money Avoidance

by Sarah Dull

A recent blog post called out the continuing anxiety most of us are still living with.

Over the past few years, we have developed a public narrative that the world is scarier than ever, we are hopelessly divided into political factions, we are powerless to create institutional change, and we’re on a perilous course to global destruction via climate change. 

Rev. Cameron Trimble

Any of that resonate with you? It did me! The current public narrative also includes anxiety around financial matters; escalating inflation, threat of another recession, there isn’t enough, and so on – scary!

Throughout scripture God tells us “do not be afraid”. In Matthew 6:25-26, Jesus explicitally tells us:

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

How wonderful to be as carefree as the birds in the air! Unfortunately, for most of us fallible humans, this is easier said than done. For many people, the answer to fear is to avoid what we perceive to be the source of that fear. In our financial lives that can lead to “Money Avoidance”.

If looking at your financial statements fills you with dread; if you put off dealing with financial matters for as long as possible, then you are probably stuck in a money avoidance habit loop. Money avoidance tells our brain that dealing with money is painful so we avoid it, but usually the more we avoid money problems the worse our sitaution becomes. However, there are tools that we can use to help us break this unhealth loop and I wanted to share this one with you.

In January, NPR Life Kits published a podcast featuring Dr. Judson Brewer, author of Unwinding Anxiety. The subject… Money Avoidance, and how to over come it. Dr. Judson explains that money avoidance is a survival instinct. He goes on to explain how to break the money avoidance habit loop. I encourage you to listen to this 16 minute recording for some insight into your money avoidance habits.

click above

If you would like more tools and support to help you deal with anxiety around money and live the abundant life that is promised to us in Christ, please reach out to me or a member of the clergy. It is our privilege to walk with you through all your joys and hardships.

Discussing money can be triggering, prompting feelings of fear or shame. Maybe that is why Jesus talked about money and possessions more than faith and prayer. Sharing our stories can be liberating and transformative.

As with most spiritual practices, we gain strength when we share with and support each other. To write a post, offer resources, submit an article, or do an interview for Finance First Friday blog, please contact Executive Administrator, Sarah Dull. You never know who needs to hear your story.

Finance First Friday: Philanthropic Redlining

We have been reading, learning, engaging with, and growing in our understanding of Racial Justice over the past two and a half years. One of our parish priorities, adopted from the same Diocesan priorities introduced in 2021 by Bishop Loya, is Justice: Becoming Beloved Community. In prior Finance First Friday posts we have looked at issues around the intersection of justice and finance, justice and banking, and more. This month, our member, Erin Weber-Johnson shares with us from her field of expertise in the work she does with churches and faith based organizations around philanthropy and stewardship. The following is excerpted from her recent book Crisis and Care: Meditations on Faith and Philanthropy from Wipf and Stock Publishers. Erin’s writing stems from a deep dive into understanding why data and research did not exist around the giving, philanthropy, and stewardship practices of faith communities of color. She discovered that far beyond the lack of data, there was a world of difference in the philanthropic realities of BIPOC led faith-based institutions and communities and those led by white leaders. She learned and wrote about it in her chapter Philanthropic Redlining: Working twice as hard for half as much.

A few years ago  I attended a regional church meeting where local faith communities were gathered to discuss the judicatory budget as well as spending allocated to faith communities in need of financial support. A concern was raised about continuing to support churches, specifically churches of color, that were utilizing allocated funds from the judicatory’s budget. Two churches were held up as an example: one was primarily Latinx/a/e/o and the other Vietnamese and Lao.. The church with primarily Vietnamese and Lao constituents was historically noted to have used judicatory funds to support the mission of their congregation but “successfully moved to a place of sustainability.” Given this example, the leadership of the judiciary determined that the Latina/o congregation should surely replicate their experience and determined their continued funding would be based on their ability to meet these benchmarks of sustainability. 

What went unmentioned was that a significant proportion of those in the Latina/o/x faith community were undocumented and migrant workers. Never mind that this conversation occurred in a time of significant fear around immigration and our federal government’s tone and policy with regard to undocumented immigrants. Of course congregation members would hesitate to sign pledge cards or make financial promises. If one congregation could make the benchmarks, then why not another?  I witnessed as judicatory support for this mission became contingent, requiring them to work above and beyond their circumstances, culture, and counterparts. Further insulting, to ensure this congregation didn’t become “too dependent”, funding to the Latina/o/x congregation from the judicatory would taper each year by half. As a colleague shared, they were expected to “work twice as hard and for half as much.”

In the past few years, as the term philanthropic redlining came into common parlance, studies began to examine how philanthropic dollars are distributed and to what end. For instance, a fellowship program designed to provide influential leaders with resources for deepening their engagement in the world, Echoing Green, recently investigated their own granting practices. Echoing Green released results in May of 2020 after analysts examined three years of funding data. They found that white-led groups had budgets that were 24 percent larger than those led by people of color, and they also found that groups led by black women received less money than those led by black men or white women. 

Not surprisingly, in addition to receiving less, groups led by BIPOC leaders were asked to perform significantly and measurably more in order to receive funding. For nonprofits whose mission’s focus on similar issues, these gaps were even larger. Among groups focused on improving life outcomes of black men, revenue at organizations with black leaders is 45% lower than groups led by people who are white. 

Our systems are developed and maintained in ways that continue to mean BIPOC led organizations and faith communities work twice as hard for less resources than their white counterparts. The absence of data for giving characteristics among communities of color is but one way in which this has occurred. In this way, white folks, like me, utilize national data to provide best practices, continuing to reinforce a dominant narrative. Thus, our stewardship resources, how we teach, form, and disciple people and faith communities within the church perpetuate a culture that ensures white resources stay in white institutions.  

I see the irony in producing data to describe how granting organizations and major donors aren’t funding BIPOC at the same levels, with varying rules around approval, and all with an absence of giving data. We need new data, but we also need something more; we need new eyes to see the racialized reality of our institutionalized funding structures.  We need new questions to consider who and what does and doesn’t ‘count’ in decisions about funding. We need new ways of imagining our common life.

Darrel Hammond, Founder of Kaboom! recently noted: “Being brutally honest, my drive towards data, dashboards, and measurement—because ‘data don’t lie’—was wrong, especially if you’re not asking the right questions, drawing the wrong conclusions or insights, or not understanding the nuance of the numbers.” 

Wetikos is an Algonquin word for a cannibalistic spirit that is driven by greed, excess, and selfish consumption (in Ojibwa it is windigo, wintiko in Powhatan).  Interestingly,  in this tradition, the spirit deludes its host into believing that cannibalizing the life-force of others is a logical and morally upright way to live. This holds true for cultures and systems; all can be described as being wetiko if they routinely manifest these traits. This spirit has often been described to explain the impact of white culture on nature and on the bodies of enslaved people of color. 

As a white person, I wonder about the impact of the commodification of bodies and the ways it has led to colonizer-framed measurements of efficiency, success, and profitability. What does it mean to have to persuade others that you/your organization is a good investment, that your dignity, as a child of God, is worth giving to? 

Within the spirit of Wetikos, how have dominant systems devoured the resources of others and, in the process, seen the erosion of life from our churches? The erosion from our own souls?

Ford Foundation President Darren Walker recently noted, “As funders, we need to reject the impulse to put grantmaking rather than change making at the center of our worldview.” Walker describes how listening, learning, and lifting up voices who are most proximate and most essential to unlocking solutions is critical to the type of change making that we seek. This requires examining what gets in the way of trust—including deeply rooted cultural norms and structures, including racial biases.

As I make sense of systems with this newly named lens of philanthropic redlining,  I try to liberate  my imaginations from the spirit of Weitikos–which threatens to devour us all. Together, we work for systems where no one has to work twice as hard to get half as much.

Thank you, Erin, for sharing with us from your experience. As a church that not only raises dollars to support our own mission and ministry, but which also raises dollars to “grant” to other organization, means these insights are deeply relevant to our work as a church. Moreover, we hope they’ll inform you, in whatever ways you support, fund, and advocate for justice in the world through the organizations you give to and participate in.

Discussing money can be triggering, prompting feelings of fear or shame. Maybe that is why Jesus talked about money and possessions more than faith and prayer. Sharing our stories and God’s stories can be liberating and transformative.

As with most spiritual practices, we gain strength when we share with and support each other. To write a post, offer resources, submit an article, or do an interview for Finance First Friday blog, please contact Executive Administrator, Sarah Dull. You never know who needs to hear your story.

Summer “Light” 

by the Rev. Barbara Mraz

Everyone in lighter clothes due to the heat (well except for Cameron, Jayan and me who aren’t about to abandon our black!); hymns that are easier to sing (more “Amazing Grace” and less “Hail Thee Festival Day”), sermons with more jokes and lighter theology (more “Jesus loves everyone” and less “Five Objections to the Atonement”), maybe even you sneaking a few radishes out of your bag from the Farmer’s Market to munch discretely during the sermon… 

These may be part of your associations with summer church. 

Unfortunately, this week’s lessons are not exactly “light.” Jesus seems to be in a bad mood talking to his disciples; Paul is disgruntled (which isn’t that unusual for Paul); and I still haven’t figured what’s up with Elijah and Elisha but I think it has something to do with grilled oxen for lunch. 

Mostly, we will consider if Jesus can possibly be serious about what he is asking from his potential followers, and then move on to a debate I am having with myself about Church 2022 (Post-Covid, sort of) in which I will daringly pose the question about the church and boredom.

Yeah, I know. 

When scouring the Internet for ideas, I came across the work of “The Undercover Pastor,” a clergyperson who assumes a disguise to find out what people are “really thinking” in his congregation.  This is about as light as you can get.

See you in church,
Barbara

Finance First Friday: Money, Politics and Religion.

As we head into summer holidays, St. John’s Director for Children, Youth, and Families, Katie Madsen, encourages us, as disciples of Christ, to talk about hard topics. 

Money, Politics, and Religion. For most families these are no-go topics of conversation—things that should not be brought up around the Thanksgiving dinner table. You never know how Uncle Fred or Cousin Betsey might respond, after all.  

Growing up in my house the rules were quite different, however. Money, politics, and religion were the three things we talked about the most. My father would say, “these are three of the most important things, so why wouldn’t you talk about them?”  

Our faith as Christians should be the thing that impacts our lives the most. It should inform how we live, how we treat others, and how we spend our money. We are called from our baptismal vows to strive “for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being.” Oftentimes that means giving, financially and/or through service, to those in need.

Conversations about money are difficult with children. I often remember, while shopping at Target, I overheard a child ask their parents for something, saying “just take out that plastic card and get it that way.” The parent calmly tried to explain to the child that that’s not how money works, you don’t just get things when you swipe the card. I sometimes miss the days of cash when it was clear how much you could spend. 

As the parent of a tiny human myself, I want Russell to understand that as a family we give to others because we have enough, that our faith is linked to the way we spend our money as a family just as it is tied to the causes we support and the ideals we strive for.  

At St. John’s we strive to meet our community partners where they are and do what we can to support their mission. We give each month through our mustard seed offering, we support the farmers market during the summer and fall – buying local produce from the farmers themselves and raising awareness for their causes.These are the ways I want Russell to see us spend and support our faith community each and every week so that he knows where our money goes and the people we help through our giving.

Money shouldn’t be a taboo subject, especially with kids. We need to  talk openly about why we give and why it is important. The dollar amount isn’t what matters, it’s the meaning and reasoning behind the giving that is important. The idea of helping others is something we instill in our children from a young age. The Golden Rule—to treat others the way we want to be treated—goes beyond the playground. We should be showing and talking to our children about what that means and looks like as a person of faith in the world. 

Money, Politics, and Religion: if we aren’t talking about these things, what are we talking about?

Indeed, what are we talking about? As I wrote in October’s Finance First Friday post, “How will they know what was treasure and what were toys in our lives? Will they understand what was surface and what was substance in our experiences? How will they know the God who wants to walk their paths with them?” So, please, talk with your loved ones about the things that are important to you as a disciple of Christ.

Discussing money can be triggering, prompting feelings of fear or shame. Maybe that is why Jesus talked about money and possessions more than faith and prayer. Sharing our stories and God’s stories can be liberating and transformative.

As with most spiritual practices, we gain strength when we share with and support each other. To write a post, offer resources, submit an article, or do an interview for Finance First Friday blog, please contact Executive Administrator, Sarah Dull. You never know who needs to hear your story.

Jesus as a “Brand”?

by The Rev. Barbara Mraz

One pundit says that Americans are almost promiscuous in their overuse of the word love.   We “love” our dog, our dinner, a season, a song, a place. Oh, and also our friends and family.

Yet how do you love when you are exhausted? When Covid is out there still menacing? When your heart is broken or when you feel helpless about the hourly tragedies in another part of the world? When you have been betrayed by a friend, a system you trusted, or your body?

This week’s Gospel is about Jesus’ charge to the disciples to love each other.  We are told that God loves, us but how do we experience that? Does God love those in Ukraine? Does God love the Russians?

These are weighty questions and Sunday’s sermon will certainly not answer all of them, but I hope it will shed some light on how to think about them. We will also extend a gracious welcome to some new members!   

Meanwhile, enterprising minds are creating a “brand” for Jesus. A group of people raised $100 million to put a series of commercials in prime time aimed at Generation Z to introduce them to Jesus. There’s an example below. I think they are beautifully produced but is this brilliant or tacky? Is it effective evangelism or a waste of time and money? Do these ads do what the church tries to do– only better? Or are they kind of an embarrassment?

And why does it matter?

Hmmmm.

See you in church.

Barbara