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Pastor’s Corner

As another summer is concluding I invite you to consider how you have enjoyed God’s gift of Creation this year. Many of us have enjoyed the delicious fresh vegetables and fruits from our gardens or Farmers’ Markets. The beautiful flowers and trees, the brilliant stars at night, the long summer days, lakes and rivers, hills and valleys are all wonderful gifts for us to view and use as God’s people. Christians know that God is the owner and he allows us to use the gifts of Creation as Stewards. We may plant and water, but God provides the growth.

 

I attended a summer event of Luther Seminary’s entitled, “Rethinking Stewardship: Our Culture, Our Theology, Our Practices.” One of the speakers, Mark Allen Powell, encouraged us to help our members envision that Mission for God’s people means living as a community of Stewards, rather than a collection of Owners. He reminded us that everything belongs to God -- but he uses us! God is the ruler and we belong to God. Belonging to God through our baptism is salvation. The gift of faith allows us to do 3 things:

 

1. Move from faithful Giving to faithful Living. The Church needs to talk about every use of money, not just ask for it. The Church also needs to talk about how we acquire our money. (See Luke 12:15)

2. Move from talking about Responsibility to Privilege. The Biblical image of a Steward is one who wisely uses the Master’s property. We are blessed with the opportunity to share from the numerous gifts God has given us.

3. Move from Duty to Devotion. Recognize God as the Owner and joyfully give out of thanks for all that we have received.

 

I invite your thoughts and response to these suggestions. I hope and pray that members of our congregation will be open to growing as Stewards in God’s kingdom.

 

See you in church…and around,

Pastor Wally