A tale of two fuchsias

A tale of two fuchsias

Last week, I was working with our gardening club whose volunteers look after our grounds. I became most concerned at the state of a fuchsia which was looking far from its usual buoyant self. Its leaves had turned yellow, its floral bells looked tired and were withering, and it projected an air of being altogether sick and struggling.

At the front of the building, another fuchsia was proud and strong, its branches laden with radiant scarlet bells and enjoying the hot weather that had recently arrived.

Church finances in a time of pandemic. Three responses for the local church

Church finances in a time of pandemic.  Three responses for the local church

I wonder how much money, or the lack of it, has been talked about in your churches in the last few months? A great deal? Not much? Never? Of course, there have been many other pressing priorities and issues to occupy us, quite apart from the fact that money is not a subject we always find easy to discuss, even in ‘ordinary’ times. Perhaps, then, it might be best to begin by publicly acknowledging that, for quite a few of our churches, there is a financial problem that we need to discuss?