Stewardship Theme: Grace in Action

Dear Friends,

I have had a book on my shelf for years that a priest introduced me to when I was a young adult. It is a dictionary of theological terms by the author Frederich Buechner. In it, Buechner defines grace this way: “Grace is something that you can never get, but can only be given. There is no way to earn it or deserve it or bring it about any more than you deserve the taste of raspberries and cream or earn good looks or bring about your own birth.” He continues, “the grace of God means something like: here is your life. You might never have been, but you are because the party wouldn't have been complete without you.”

Like our lives, our church community is a gift from God we neither earn nor deserve, and yet, it is ours. We are responsible for caring for it, for nourishing it, and for participating in the ever-outpouring gift of God's grace which we share through our actions together. We are stewards of these gifts for as long as we live, and we steward the gift of this church so that future generations will have the opportunity to receive God’s grace and put it into action.

Our whole life and ministry is “Grace in Action.”

In a document that you will receive in the coming days, our ministry leaders offer a snapshot of the ways in which, with your support, this church is doing God’s work together. None of it is possible without you. We hope you have found a way to be a part of the fantastic and beautiful things this church is doing in God’s name. If you haven’t yet found a way to participate, we invite you to read along and find something that interests you and pursue it. As Buechner wrote, the party that is this church is not complete without you.

Of course, we would also love you to support the church financially, and we invite you to do that too.

We have all been given so many gifts from God which we neither deserve or earn. Our life of faith allows us to pay it forward and thank God for them.

May God bless you abundantly, as God has blessed this church for generations.