Church: Let cash stimulate charity
Posted on Saturday, May 3, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Religion/224627/
Coming soon to a mailbox near you — tax rebate checks.
The eagerly awaited economic stimulus payments began arriving, via direct deposit, this week. It’s money the government hopes will help kickstart the economy. Retailers, too, hope consumers will spend, spend, spend.
Vintage Fellowship has other plans for the money. The congregation hopes taxpayers will give a portion to help others. They call it the Grace Stimulus Package.
“What our world needs more than a bunch of money spread around is for people to be kinder,” said Aaron Marshall, organizational leader at the Fayetteville church. “Life would be a lot better if we operated on those rules.”
Marshall said, the plan is all about grace and is based on Hebrews 10: 24 — “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds” (NASB ).
“We thought if we put this idea before people before they mentally spent it maybe we could all chip in a little and really make a difference here and all across the country,” Marshall said.
Marshall said the Grace Stimulus Package fits with the church’s desire to be a place that meets the real, everyday needs of people.
“I think that’s what churches are supposed to do. Unfortunately, not all of them are doing that,” Marshall said.
Other churches around the country are offering similar suggestions. Darryl Hall, pastor of Zion Church in Garland, Texas, is encouraging his congregation to give their rebates away to be used in ministry. The Mennonite Church U. S. A. is suggesting that members give all or most of their rebates to the church or a charitable organization. College Mennonite Church in Goshen, Ind., for example, plans to pool the rebate money of its members to increase the impact of their giving.
The Vintage Fellowship plan is outlined at www. gracerefund. com. For individuals receiving a $ 600 payment, the church encourages them to give $ 100 to help someone in need. Most couples and families will receive $ 1, 200 or more, depending on the number of children. The site encourages them to give $ 200, and not necessarily to Vintage Fellowship.
“It’s really not about us. We want everyone involved,” Marshall said.
The church has sent out hundreds of e-mails to churches around the country, inviting them to join the effort. They are encouraging donors to give to their own churches or local organizations that help people in need.
Vintage Fellowship isn’t asking for the entire check.
“We don’t want all of it and $ 100 or $ 200 really doesn’t hurt that bad. We could do so much good with it,” Marshall said. “Everybody wins. You get a shopping spree and people with needs get help, too.”
The goal is to help, to lend a hand, he said.
“Give it to somebody and do something with it rather than just spending it on yourself,” Marshall said.
Money donated to Vintage Fellowship’s Grace Stimulus Package will be used in a variety of ways, including providing meals to the homeless through LifeSource International, a nonprofit organization in Fayetteville. Marshall said a team is brainstorming other ideas for ways to meet the needs of the community. Projects will be posted on the Web site throughout the summer and fall.
Vintage Fellowship meets at 10: 15 a. m. Sundays at the Music Hall, 2147 N. College Ave.