As with many other aspects of our worship and response to God in these times, our method of regular offering has been disrupted for some. We recognize that the global and national impact of the virus will create financial difficulty for some. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9:10 that we give to God out of what He has provided; and so we should each be thoughtfully considering the extent that God has provided to us and how we can give to the Kingdom work in each season.
There are some aspects of ministry at Lakeside which have decreased in financial need, and at the same time others that we anticipate will increase because of the season we are in. It is our hope that we will be able to more than fully support the ministries that care for the most vulnerable and that are most at risk of having their support removed. Now is the time as a church we want to show the world and our ministry partners that our support to them does not decline, but remains constant or even increases. This includes our global missionaries, local partners, worship/evangelism, and care ministries, all of which face a potential increase in need rather than a decrease.
To that end we pray that, with God’s provision, our regular weekly offerings will remain as consistent as possible in this season, even as we make budget adjustments and careful plans to respond wisely as God directs our ministry going forward.
There are three convenient ways in which you can continue your regular offering response to God during this time:
E-transfers: Through your bank’s online services, you can manually send an Interac e-transfer to admin@mylakeside.ca. We are equipped for auto deposit, so no password should be required. If you have an envelope number please write that in the comment field of the transaction to make it easier for us to apply the donation to your yearly receipt. (Don’t worry if you forget, we will still find you in the system…)
This is usually a simple two or three step process you can perform from your bank’s online bill-payment system. Your bank should have instructions, but if you require additional help please call the office.
Pre-authorized giving plan: You can choose to set up a consistent, monthly amount that will automatically be withdrawn from your bank account. You can change this arrangement at anytime in the future. In order to do so, please contact Alison in the office for the forms that must be signed.
Cheques: You can also continue to use cheques and envelopes via the regular mail (with actual stamps and paper!) If you have a church envelope number please write that number on your cheque or included it on the envelope to make it easier for us to apply the donation to your yearly receipt. (Don’t worry if you forget, we will still find you in the system…).