The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1928-12-06

A nation wide step up movement
to increase support for the work of
the Congregational churches is being
launched this month. All members
are asked in connection with the an
nual every member canvass which will
be taken by most of the churches on
Sunday, Dec. 9. to step up to a
higher level of giving.
All other costs, it is said, rise an
nually and the cost of the local and
world work Of the churches also in
ereases. # progress is not made in
giving the churches will fall back in
their work. To stand still is to step
down, In order for the churches to
hold their own there must be "step
up
The step up" movement was mi
tiated by the denominations commits
sion on missions. Persons now giving
10 cents a week are asked to increase
to 10 cents, those giving so cents to
65 cents, those giving a dollar to
$1.25 and those giving. other amounts
to make similar increases.
.The plan,e according to Rev.
Charles c.. Merrill, D. D., Chicago,
ILL.,, secretary of the commission, is SO
simple that it is almost certain to
bring smile when presented in pub
lie way. But if it is followed it will
mean greater resources for the local
church in its service to its member
ship, to its community and to the
world.
THE individual giver is the person
whose step up is of essential import
ance. Ills step up will make possible
step up for his local church. This
in turn, if carried out in many of the
churches of the states, will bring
about the step up of state. The
states together will make the step up
for the nation.
The every member canvass has be-
come generally recognized not only
by Congregational churches but also
IN other oommunions during the last
Is years as the most business-like and
successful method for financing mod
ern church work. Visitors or can
vassers in pairs visit every home in a
parish. Each person in every home is
asked to enlist in the support of the
church through a definite pledge.
large or small. Experience, it is
has shown that the canvass
s+,a,,.I,' ,,r,rs.ates the unity of the
churches. binding ~ members more
closely together in Their common loyal
ty to the task Of building Christ's
kingdom in the world
The step up" plan has already
been successfully used several years
by number Of progressive churches,
including the Flatbush church, Brook
lyn, where the plan originated, and
s--s sros5way Tabernacle, New York
This year all the state Congregational
have united with the ma
tional commission on missions to in
troduce the plan throughout the coun-
try.
The "step up" it is said, will mean
better support for home missionary
pastors serving in communities other
wise without adequate religious min
it will mean more aid for
new churches, parish houses and par
sonages; it will mean the promotion
of more thorough religious education
in church, community and college
the country; it will mean
improved schools and centers for So
cial work among people of the under
races in United States; it
will make possible more tangible evil
dence of appreciation to aged and re-
tired ministers for their years of
faithful labor
In foreign work the "step up" will
open Christian schools for hundreds
of boys and girls for whom now there
is no room; it will provide physical
and spiritual healing for many pa
tients who cannot now be received
into the mission hospitals; it will ex-
tend the influence Of hte Christian
gospel TO many thousands of lives.
The churches, it is held, must either
strengthen their local and their mis-
sionary work or lose their rightful
place in a growing world. The work
is all for one purpose; "To build right
eousness, brotherliness and goodwill
into the structure Of the modern
wor,a that the Spirit Of Christ ~as
rule"
The total amount which is needed to
finance the regular local expenses
and missionary work of the 5,54S
Congregational churches in the United
States during 1929 is over 25 million
dollars exclusive Of the increases
which will come through the "step
up" plan. The amount raised last
year by the churches for local ex-
penses was $22,O56,818; the amount
raised for regular missionary work
was $3,076663. The communicate
membership Of the churches is $685.
55S.
TIL missionary work includes the
activities Of over 5000 American pas
tors, evangelists, teachers, physicians,
nurses and social workers employed