Cheerful Giving - Dr Brutus Green

I’m going to embarrass people. People often think the British are squeamish about sex. But actually they’re really squeamish about the ‘sordid subject of money’ which anthropologist Kate Fox calls out as a taboo, resulting from the peculiar British characteristics of ‘social-unease, modesty, hypocrisy and class-consciousness’ (559). She reports how an American-immigrant she knew had resorted to only discussing money in letters and emails as the English found it impossible to talk about it face to face. Dirty words like money, cost, price, fee, payment, should be read and not heard. This is a British taboo, not found in Europe or (god help us) America. It is irrational and unhelpful. Imagine someone asking you the quite reasonable question: “How much do you earn?” No British person would ask it and most wouldn’t answer it. And British people have an innate distrust of anyone selling anything. When the question is asked, “What do you do?” aside from sneaking an implicit sense of ‘how much do you earn?’ (because we do really value money, we just can’t talk about it), there are, since Jane Austen, only four acceptable answers: the law, medicine, the Church and the military, or, of course the correct answer for the more privileged, “Do? Darling, I don’t do anything.”

It’s a trick of vicars on the prowl for your cash, or peddling their progressive views to say that Jesus talked more about money than sex. What is certainly true is that Jesus spoke naturally about money as a part of our lives and so a part of our discipleship. Most of all Jesus was caustic about those who were only after number one, or thought that if they looked after the things of this world, then that’s all life required of them. Individualism and materialism have changed little as drives in human lives. Oberon, who turned seven on Friday, has no greater desire than to collect all the Harry Potter Lego, and no greater fear than that his brother will play with them.

Our psalm today, reminds us that all things belong to God, and if that sounds abstract consider that no one owns anything in the grave, and the two certainties of death and taxes combine to eliminate the falsehood that anything ever really belongs to you.

Our reading from Genesis gives us one of the biblical sources of tithing. This is a common theme in Harvest, which approaches, encompassing the ancient traditions, all of which remind us to give thanks for what we receive and to bring our first fruits, for the sake of God, the community and the poor. First fruits is an old fashioned word for “direct-debit”.

Our New Testament reading, from which our stewardship campaign takes its name concerns the manner of our giving. Giving in church is not a tax. You don’t have to give anything. But all that we share here is a product of our combined generosity. The hours that Sarah and I commit to ministry are paid for by our giving. This building was originally given to us by a parishioner, when he nearly sold it to become a laundrette. It is still maintained, cleaned, repaired, extended by our giving. Our free community lunch, free playgroup, free concerts each week, are paid for by our generosity. These services we come to, are spiritually encouraged and built up by are paid for by us, and put on by our giving. The charities and churches that we partner with, our outreach and social care which is not just Sunday by Sunday but day by day is the result of our giving. St Margaret’s, as all Churches of England, is entirely funded, maintained and staffed by ourselves.

Without giving there is no St Margaret’s.

But for those who value St Margaret’s, and this is hearts and hands and voices and purses of over 113 years, we can be immensely proud of the difference we make. Because it is ours and it is God’s, because everything is God’s. God loves a cheerful giver because God wants you to be a part of this. He wants you to revel in it – to take joy and pride in being St Margaret’s. Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold; We are one body, because St Margaret’s is the manifestation of who we are. That is also why the widow’s two mites, her copper coins are worth as much as anyone’s – Because she is a part of the community. She, with everyone else, is doing what she can.

We don’t have to talk about money, often. We can save it for emails and letters. I don’t need to know how much you earn – Your richest gains, I count but loss. But money is a part of Christian living. How we use our money tells us something about who we are and what we care about – Whether it’s vain things or love, so amazing, so divine – In our service today we commit ourselves to a common set of beliefs in the words of the hymns and in the words of the creed. We also commit ourselves to being one body in receiving the one bread and cup of the Eucharist. At the offertory we are bringing our gifts together in one common fund as an offering to God and for our common life together. Giving is a part of our service – both here this Sunday morning, and in our effort to love our neighbour. So whether we are giving out of the spoils of victory like Abraham, or our pennies as the widow in the temple, let us commit ourselves to the practice of generosity as part of our all too British attempt to follow Christ. Amen.