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“It is the end of what has become a study spanning four years of the intersection of Faith & Money, the first study group on this topic. The group began its work in the winter of 2007 with an immersion trip to Wall Street, and concluded its study in the Fall of 2010, on another continent, in another world financial capital, but on the other side of the most serious financial contraction of our lifetimes. The backdrop of world events that have provided the stage for study of this topic has been seismic in the magnitude of its shift. It has given us the opportunity to study economic phenomena and attitudes before and after the most significant financial event of our lives.

Our first stop in Great Britain was a day trip to London to meet with a pair of investment bankers in the tony Mayfair section of the city. These leaders opened the topic of how the government support of the church in the past has worked against healthy financial attitudes in the present. Since WWII, an entire generation has grown up thinking that taking care of the poor is the responsibility of the government, not the church.  The Dean told us: “The rise of the welfare state confused citizens in Great Britain into thinking that the government pays for the cathedral, and they ought to use it for free. Now that public revenues are declining, how does the church step back into its classical role when the government cannot afford the welfare state any more?” The Vice Chancellor said it well when he said “I see the Church of England as the Church FOR England.” He said that he occasionally visits his home church in the north of England, and happened to be there last on Stewardship Sunday. The theme for the day underlined the new direction for money in the Church of England, and it was called  TRIO = The Responsibility is Ours.

In both England and Scotland, the conversation about faith and money is tied into the link between the state and church … the perception of state support and control, and the impact that had on the giving by the people.

We traveled next to Edinburgh, home of the Church of Scotland, the historic roots for the Presbyterian members of our group. We already knew Edinburgh was home to Adam Smith, author of The Theory of Moral Sentiments and his more well-known work, The Wealth of Nations, which became the seminal work in the definition of modern economics and free market theory.  What we did not know was that the city was also home to another great son of Scotland, Thomas Chalmers.

Among those who met with us was Jay Brown, a Chicago-born church historian. Brown introduced us to the noted 19th century Scottish minister Thomas Chalmers. During the 1840s, the economic depression and food shortage were so dire, that the time was called “The Hungry 40’s.”  In the oddness of Godness, the decade was a time of amazing renewal in the church. Chalmers and others caught the imaginations and hearts of the people with what was called the ‘gift of the littles.’

Until that time, most people in the churches did not give financially. They had pretty much determined that their gifts to the church would be too small to matter, that others of means would take care of it. Chalmers and such leaders helped people discover the spiritual meaning of giving: That out of gratitude for God’s love in Jesus, based on one’s circumstances, followers of Jesus give to the work of his church. Thousands of people, who had never given before, never thought they could, never thought it was needed, began to give their “wee gifts.” Their loaves and fishes amazingly compounded to enable churches to be stronger than ever, to meet the spiritual and physical needs of people in those hard living times. What’s more, those people who gave found a new sense of belonging and commitment-a spiritual dividend.

Some thoughts about this:

• The “wee gifts” were not so small for those who gave; prayerful prioritizing was required.

• Even if our financial gift is large dollar-wise, it is a “wee gift” in face of great needs.

• They’re all “wee gifts” compared to the grace of the lifegiving/changing/saving God of Jesus.

The church understands if you are facing financial hard times. But I ask all who can to give your ‘wee gifts.’ God’s work through the church and you need the spiritual dividend.” - ICE Faith and Money Group”

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