During Eastertide (April 20-June 8), we are talking about discerning how God wants each of us to work and serve in the world. We are also discerning the pledges of time, talent and money we will make to serve and contribute to our collective ministry in the year ahead.
Dear ones,
A brief reminder: If you are participating in the Walk for Hunger on Sunday, please gather with us in the big church parking lot at 8:30am!
Now we return to your regularly-scheduled blog post:
Our Bible story this Sunday, linked here from The Message translation, is one heck of a stewardship letter. Paul writes to the churches in Corinth about a stone-soup-style generosity miracle amongst a disaster-stricken community in Macedonia, inviting the churches in Corinth to get in on the action, and be part of the miracle themselves. If we all contribute what we can, when we can, Paul explains, we’ll fulfill the ancient message God spoke through Moses, “nothing left over to the one with the most, nothing lacking to the one with the least.” You’d forgive me and Kent if we just swapped “Corinthians” for “United Parish Family” and put this letter in the stewardship packets you’ll receive next week…right?
As we begin our stewardship season, the time of intentionally pondering our spiritual and material resources and how God is calling us to use them, the ‘word of the season’ is “Discernment.” Our Discernment and Engagement team has learned that fruitful discernment starts with naming and celebrating our gifts, and so from now until Pentecost, to help us all faithfully steward our individual and collective resources, we’ll be returning weekly to this discernment mantra:
“God has given me a gift of my own. I don’t have to do it all. We have what we need. Using our gifts is filled with joy.”
I won’t ask you to have it memorized by this Sunday, but if you DO have it memorized, you get an extra jewel in your heavenly crown.
Join us at 11am on Sunday morning in the Sanctuary and online to worship, pray, sing, and discern together. Your presence is always such a gift.
In faith,
Amy
Image credit: “Generosity” by Mugur Kreiss
