Becoming an Enthusiast

The M&S response process is a way to intentionally and prayerfully consider how your congregation will support the work that we do as The United Church of Canada—the work that is funded by the Mission and Service Fund. Each year M&S response form packages are sent out from the General Council Office through presbytery representatives to all pastoral charges. Please consider carefully how you will be a part of this work.

Questions and Answers about the M&S Response Process

Why do we support the Mission and Service Fund?

We are called to be the church, to love and serve others.

"A New Creed"

Your pastoral charge is part of The United Church of Canada. Our mission, in Canada and around the world, is financed through the Mission and Service Fund. Our support of the Mission and Service Fund is vital if we are to be a church that makes a difference in the world.

Why do we fill in this form?

"Christian stewardship has to do with what we give of what we have, what we do with what we keep, and what we plan for what we leave." This M&S response form gives local congregations the opportunity to be intentional about financially supporting their church through the Mission and Service Fund. It provides time to reflect and set targets for Mission and Service giving. The responses give the wider church some idea of the resources available for mission in a given year.

What happens if we do not reach our targeted M&S response?

Whatever your gift, it is received with thanks by the Mission and Service Fund. Your local church may decide to "top up" the givings late in the year to achieve the goal. If the goal isn't reached in a given year, pastoral charges are encouraged to take a careful look at how they can meet and surpass their goal the next year.

Why do you include information about the number of givers to the Mission and Service Fund?

In most congregations less than half of the "identifiable" local givers also support the Mission and Service Fund. This shows that there's an opportunity to grow-an opportunity to enlist many new givers to the Mission and Service Fund.

Why does the form show M&S money raised as a percentage of total money raised?

Our statistics tell us that Mission and Service Fund gifts are less than 9% of all money raised in our churches. Some pastoral charges give a much higher percentage and some give a much lower one. The whole church needs to work at reversing this trend. We need new energy for the United Church's wider mission and we need to support it with much higher percentages given to Mission and Service.

How do other pastoral charges determine their M&S response?

In many pastoral charges, the stewardship, Mission and Service, outreach, or finance committee analyzes the recent M&S givings. They look at the number of current givers and potential new givers and decide on a fair increase in gifts and givers. The committee may then share its proposal with the church board or council, and the decision is agreed on at a congregational meeting. The M&S Enthusiast can be involved with this task.

What is a helpful process for determining our M&S response?

Gather information.

• Look at the number of givers to Mission and Service and the number and the number of givers to local expenses. What is the five-year trend, and is this all we can be doing?
• What proportion of our gifts goes to mission outside our congregation, including local outreach or donations to other charitable organizations?
• List ways in which our congregation benefits from the M&S Fund.
• List ways in which others benefit from the Mission and Service Fund.
• What are the benefits of a unified fund like the M&S Fund?

Have the whole congregation be part of the process and approve the decision at the annual meeting, or assign the work to a task group with a variety of people from the UCW, stewardship and outreach committees, the board, and Mission and Service Fund givers. This group may then present its recommendations to the whole congregation.

How have some pastoral charges increased their number of Mission and Service Fund givers?

By educating, setting goals, and creatively persevering. The challenge of increasing the number of Mission and Service Fund givers can be one of the goals of the Mission and Service Fund Enthusiast, with the full support of the church council and the congregation. The ministry personnel, local church leaders, other church staff, the newsletter editor-everyone-must believe in the goal and use their platforms to encourage new givers and faithful giving. Many members are not familiar with the scope of work enabled by M&S. New members may not even have heard of M&S. Stewardship education, creative sharing of M&S information, perseverance, Mission and Service Fund resources-all are important ways to increase givers.

In Worship Service

The following suggestions are for use in your worship services, your board council meetings, your M&S or outreach meetings, or wherever your congregation decides on its response to the church through the Mission and Service Fund.

Prayer to begin deliberations about your congregation's M&S response.

God of renewing grace,
You know us better than we know ourselves.
We ask your forgiveness for our reluctance to recognize
the needs of those beyond the circle of those we know.
Our compassion is often driven by today's announced urgency,
but its loyalty is short-lived.
Our giving of self and money is sometimes spurred
by emotion and slickness of appeal rather than by a thoughtful response
to others' long-term needs.
We are constrained by our budgets and careful calculations,
and seldom know the joy of giving which overflows from a generous heart.
Free us from the prison of our fears.
Fan within us the spark of generosity that yearns to flame.
Fuel our faithfulness so our actions may be guided by Christ's great love.
In his name we pray. Amen.

—from "Building Temples," a service of worship by Art Anderson

Hymn Suggestions

The following are suggestions from Voices United that may be used whenever M&S is a part of the service (e.g. before the offering, or after a Minute for Mission).

• #292 "Creating God, We Give You Thanks," verses 1, 2, and 5
• #504 "How Clear Is Our Vocation"
• #507 "Today We Are All Called to Be Disciples"
• #701 "What Does the Lord Require of You"

Prayer of Approach

A prayer of approach for your M&S Sunday, your annual meeting Sunday, or whenever your congregation approves its M&S response.

Loving God,
Your people are here-
Here to feel your love;
Here to listen to your word;
Here to seek your guidance.
For all these things we whisper words of praise and thanks.
Forgiving God,
Your people are here-
Here to confess that we do not always follow your ways.
Here to admit that we do not always do what is right and best
for ourselves, for each other, for our church, or the world.
Today we listen for your voice.
Guide us as, together, we plan for the year ahead,
as we nurture our church, and as we learn to be your presence in the world.
Let our minds and hearts be in tune
with our guide and teacher Jesus Christ as we do this work.
For all these things we speak words of praise and thanks.
Wonderful God
Your people are here-
Here to greet friends,
Here to share worship and work together.
Here to commit anew to our faith.
For all these things we sing, we shout words of praise and thanks. Amen.

Follow with Voices United #582 "There's a Spirit in the Air"

Reading Choices: Psalm 145, Voices United p.866 or Psalm 150, Voices United p. 874

A Closing Hymn: Voices United #481 "Sent Forth by God's Blessing"

Prayers of Dedication

Here are two prayers that may be used after your congregation has decided on its M&S response and wishes to offer it as part of worship.

A Prayer of Dedication (in unison)

Gracious God,
With these gifts we declare our intention to be partners with you
in the ministry of Jesus Christ
through our Mission and Service Fund
during the coming year.
These gifts represent our faithful intention,
our deep love and gratitude for all the blessings
by which you continue to fill our days.
Accept our offerings for the work of your church
here at home and throughout the world.
We ask it in the name of Jesus,
your best gift, our best friend, and for the world our best hope. Amen.

—from Maritime Conference

Offering Prayer to Dedicate the Congregation's Goal (in unison)

Here, O God, we offer a share of what our work has brought us.
It is our energy transformed into money.
It is our thanksgiving, our compassion, our love gently placed before you.
In a small way it represents us.
As you have given, we, too, in partnership would give:
to sustain your church,
to support its work here and far beyond,
and to help meet some of the aching wounds of the world.
Generous God, receive and use these celebrations of our generosity,
in the name of Christ who gave his all. Amen.

—from "Building Temples," a service of worship by Art Anderson