As I check in with pastors and other church leaders at the end of 2020, I often 
hear this phrase when I ask how things are going: “Of course, giving is down.” Let’s unpack that on this penultimate day of a difficult year.
- Of course. We often assume that when things are difficult certain things are destined to happen in response. Of course we are low-energy considering the holidays are over. Of course we are sad because of the pandemic losses. Of course our congregations are responding negatively after ___ happens. Imagine – though – if our sacred assumptions in the throes of loss and pain is that we are overwhelmed with an awareness of our blessings. The tragedies that could have happened, but didn’t. The times cuts healed and aches subsided. The moments we noticed that God is still with us.
- Giving. We have countless opportunities to give something of ourselves every day. A kindness. A smile – even behind a facemask. An encouraging word. A decision to share a portion of our time or money. There is no excuse to refrain from giving as long as we have breath.
- Is down. There is no reason for “down” to be the only direction things are going. We continue to sing Hallelujah – even in hell. We continue to look up to the One whom we call Immanuel. It’s quite possible that what we truly need increases in these days.
For what it’s worth, giving is going up in some of our congregations. Expecting God to help us rise even from death is what we fundamentally believe as followers of Jesus.
May our souls sing “Of course giving is up!” in a variety of ways. Happy New Year!
A Church for Starving Artists 
Our church is one of those where the giving has increased. Especially to the deacon’s fund, which has blown me away because the offering envelope is a once-a-month addition to the Sunday bulletin. The deacons have spread those funds throughout the community.
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Thanks for opening this up in this way! For churches like ours, with primarily middle/managerial class and owning class worshippers if giving went down, that would be a reason for me to investigate what’s going on spiritually with the congregation. I am grateful that I inherited a congregation with a willingness to pull together, having survived two fires, lots of pastoral transition, a mortgage nobody wanted but knew they needed. Even with generally zero digital engagement beyond occasional Facebook, we managed to increase participation across the board and now have older members coaching each other about Zoom.
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