| Finance |
|
|
|
|
Herb Linneweh, a shy retired janitor known for his "radical thriftiness," left a big surprise when he died last spring: cash-filled envelopes hidden throughout the house he had lived in for nearly 50 years. "It was a little over $100,000," Joanie Schwarzbeck, a friend and neighbor, said. "I had no idea he had that kind of money in his house--none.” That's easy to believe. The Chicago Tribune says "he wore his janitor's uniform long after he retired, sewing it back together as it frayed. He walked to a nearby bank every morning for a complimentary cup of coffee. And ... he declined to get a membership at Blockbuster: The library's movies, after all, were free. He never even bothered to get a doctor of his own." All told, the 72-year-old bachelor was worth about $700,000. He left most of it to his church, a local food pantry, the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, the Salvation Army and the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Even the neighbor's children each received $500.
When I read this news story, I was impressed by Herb Linneweh’s thriftiness and generosity but the thought occurred to me that he missed one of real blessings of giving: getting to see how your gift affects the lives of others. Herb was generous after his death but what a blessing it would have been for him to see the faces of the excited neighbor’s children; or to have gotten a letter from the pastor of his church telling him all the ways his generous gift had allowed to church to reach out in ministry.
My grandfather, Urban Busiek, was the first pediatrician in Springfield, MO in 1922. He had a large practice and did well financially but my father told me that “Doc” didn’t want to store up his money. He wanted to give it away while he was alive and so he gave generously to his church, the Gideon’s, the YMCA and to other charities. He didn’t leave a large estate when he died, he gave it away while he was alive. My parents have set a similar example for me in their generous giving. Proverbs 11: 24-25 expresses this mindset: “One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”
These are difficult financial times. Many of our members live on a fixed income and are struggling to pay for their prescriptions and health care premiums. Some of our members are raising children and dealing with college tuition costs. Some of our members are dealing with an uncertain financial future due to unemployment or debt issues. Some have recently retired and are adjusting to a lower personal income. Despite these changes and difficulties, our members continue to give generously and faithfully.
God has blessed Emmanuel for over 50 years. Join me in praying that God will continue to bless our ministry as we give freely for God’s glory and offer our lives fully to God’s service. Don’t wait until you die to make a difference. Begin to give today.
Here's a sample of our 2008 Financial Pledge Card. As an act of thanksgiving, I promise to put God first in my finances.
I am trusting that as I give generously, God will supply all my needs
Because God has blessed me, I pledge the following amount toward the Total: ________________ Monthly: ___________ Weekly: ______________ Name (optional) ¬¬¬_____________________________ This card can be sent to the church office: EBC, 1710 23rd Street, Parkersburg, WV, 26101
Emmanuel is currently in the middle of a significant Capital Improvement campaign. See Capital page for details.
|
|||