A full piggy bank!


St Michael's Paris held a "Thanksgiving Day" on Sunday 26th June. The target was to raise €100,000 for the support of the chaplaincy's ministry and mission - an ambitious goal. The Council and church leadership prepared by serious and focussed prayer and even fasting. In the end, in the words of the chaplain, the Revd Philip Mounstephen, "God did something remarkable!" He wrote to his parishioners yesterday with the following news:
Dear Members of St. Michael's
'This is the Lord's doing and it is marvellous in our eyes' (Psalm 188:23)
I have wonderful news to share with you. The total of our Thanksgiving Day - taking together all the gifts and pledges of gifts to come - was not the €100,000 we had prayed towards - but an amazing €164,132! Truly our God is good! And I want to thank you so much for responding so generously yourselves. You truly have 'excelled in this grace of giving.'
Philip reports that the support came not from a few, but from a whole range of Church members. Someone even donated a full piggy bank! The chaplain urged the parish to continue to give thanks to God, and to use this encouraging sign to grow in their unity and service:
What should we do now?
* First of all, please take time to thank God for his goodness. He has been so good to us, and we must not be like the nine lepers who failed to give him their thanks. 'Give thanks to the Lord for he is good. His love endures for ever.'
 * Second, let's use this exciting news as motivation to do yet more. If you've not yet had the opportunity to give then why not add your gift to the total, and be part of what God is doing amongst us? Or maybe this is the incentive you need to increase your own regular giving, knowing that God will bless you for it.
 * Finally, let's all of us use this wonderful news to grow strong in faith. Our God once again has shown that he will 'meet all our needs, according to his riches in Christ Jesus' (Philippians 4:19). He is dependable and faithful and reliable and we can trust him. So let's do so, in our lives and in our lives together!
Congratulations to the people of St Michael's for this significant achievement. Your generosity and Christian stewardship is an encouragement to us all!

St Michael's website is here.

The Revd Philip Mounstephen

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