“Through wisdom is a house built and by understanding it is established” (Proverbs 24:2)

“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse”, says God, “that there may be food in My house and try Me now in this”, says the Lord of Hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of Heaven and pour out for you such blessings that there will not be room enough to receive it.” (Malachi 3:10). The Lord taught His disciples, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35). Indeed, “God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:8). Blessed are the faithful people who diligently offer their tithes to the Lord and His Church, Convents and Monasteries.

From the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ: “Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.” (Mark 12: 42-44)

From the words of HH Pope Shenouda III  about the paying of tithes, “9/10 of your income + blessings from God is more than your full income without blessing.  If we are able to give, we will say to the Lord, ‘ O Lord, Out of Your Hands we have given You.’ We offer you thanks O Lord because You allowed us to give.”  

Our Dearest Congregation  members,

Through the supplications of the Holy Virgin Mary the mother of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the patron saints of our church St Mina and St Abanoub and your prayers, the work on building our new church has started.  It is expected that the completion of our new church will be end of February 2010. Bruns, General Contractors, Inc, put forward a specified schedule of the work and the church will be paying the contractors after the completion of each section of the work.  The board of Deacons, therefore, ask you to start paying your pledged commitment to the new project.  In order to have the project completed on time and without penalty of delay in payments, it is necessary for the church to pay the bills received from the contractors on time. 

For those of you who had not committed themselves to any pledge for the new church or have not had the chance to contribute to the church, please remember the case of the widow whom prophet Elijah visited. It is quoted in the Holy Bible, “ So he (Elijah) arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink. And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand. So she said, As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die. And Elijah said to her, Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord God of Israel: `The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.' (1Kings 17: 10-14). Here we see that Elijah asked her to give him first because he is the man of God.  Obeying Elijah led her to receive blessings that allowed the bin of flour and the jar of oil to last till the famine is over.  The above quoted verses ((Malachi 3:10);  (Acts 20:35); (2 Corinthians 9:8))   and the words of HH pope Shenouda III also show clearly the blessings one receives.  These are facts that have been experienced by everyone who contributed to the Lord.  There are many stories narrated in the books of the church that show the great blessings received by many who contributed offerings to the church.  In Fact, it is for us a great honor and blessing to be given a chance in contributing for building the house of prayer for our Lord and Savior.

Prayer:

Our Heavenly Father, the creator of everything, the author and inspirer of all things holy, hear our prayers for our new church.  Send forth Your Holy Spirit that we may be humbly guided by Your Divine Will.  O Lord, touch our hearts with true generosity, bless us with open minds, greater unity, and renewed vision as we seek to build Your house of Prayer.   May it be O Lord, a place where we see steady growth of our congregation. We ask you Lord to bless the service of our church. We seek Your Face O God, for Thine is the Kingdom, Power, and Glory forever,   Amen.

In Christ

George Sorial
Secretary of the Board of Deacons