An Update On Giving

Dearest CiB Family, 

My first Sunday at Church In Bethesda, there were 17 souls in attendance.

I looked around at this handful of dedicated people and I knew in my heart that God wasn’t finished with this church yet. 

I also knew that bringing that to fruition was going to take lots of prayer and work.

The Servant’s Group (our Board Of Trustees) and I began to pray about and think through how we might let Bethesda (and the rest of the DMV) know that we are here, and that all are invited and welcome in our community.

As a result of those prayers and those efforts, little by little, more people started showing up.

An Act Of Faith

In addition to all of the regular things that go along with the operations of a church with a nursery school, Spanish school, daily lunch program, and a host of other groups, we knew that our building was in need of some serious upgrades in order for us to be able to serve our community better.

As an act of faith, we decided to sell one of our parcels behind the church to pay for those upgrades. This took faith, because the selling of that piece of property meant that we would also be losing 3,000 dollars per month that we were receiving in rent from the property. But we believed then, and still do now, that as our community grows, so will the generosity of those within it.

This brings us to where we are today.

The good news? Remember what I said about 17 people? Just 18 months later, we are now averaging a weekly attendance in the 80s and 90s. This is wonderful! And I know that our church will only continue to grow.

The reality?  Though our attendance has grown, our giving hasn’t. 

As of today, we are projected to end 2019 with a sizable deficit, meaning that we will have to make some difficult decisions as a church.

Thankfully, we have been able to continue our work by dipping into our savings. But as all savings accounts do, those funds are limited.

Going Forward

I am writing this to ask those of you who call this “your church,” or “your faith community” to consider giving to our community on a recurring basis. 

• Maybe you’ve been going to church here for forever. 

• Maybe you are new or newish in our community.

Regardless, I’d like to ask you to consider what you might be able to contribute to the wellbeing of our family.

Maybe you’re thinking, “Sure! But how much should I give?”

The honest answer to that question is, that this is between you and God. 

All that I ask is that you listen to your heart.

• Some choose to give ten percent of their income (what has traditionally been called “a tithe”) while others are not in a place to do so.

• Still, others are able to give above and beyond ten percent. 

This is not about equal gifts, but about equal effort. And I trust that those of you who love our community and want to see it doing good work in our region for years to come will listen to what God is saying in your hearts.

How To Contribute

We’ve made donating to CiB as easy as possible, whether you are a digital person or prefer to give on paper.

• You can find us on the Venmo app with the handle, “ChurchNBethesda.”

• You can also give via Paypal on our donations page.

• If you prefer to give by cash or check, you can place your offerings in the offering box at the back of the auditorium on Sundays, or mail a check to the church office any time during the week (our address is: Church In Bethesda, 5033 Wilson Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814).

Thank You

Thank you for taking the time to read this and to search your heart about what you are able to contribute to this vibrant, loving community. It is a joy to serve you.

See you soon.