2023 STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN SHARING AND CARING

I really enjoy talking to folks passing by the church and wondering about all the murals on our church buildings. Everyone seems to have a different favorite, whether it is the MLK Jr. mural or the tiger with egg on his face, or the birds. The one that hits me on a regular basis is the mural of the open hands holding food with the simple reminder of ‘Sharing and Caring”. It is this simple message that sticks with us and stands the test of time. It reorients our hearts and minds to what is most important.

Simple reminders from the wisdom literature in the Bible also stick with me, especially the reminder from the 35th chapter of Sirach, also known as Ecclesiasticus, in which God says,

” Give to the most high as he has given you, and as generously as you can afford”.

This piece of scripture towards the end of the book of Sirach is a critical reminder to fear God and keep God’s commandments. To me this action looks a lot like “Sharing and Caring” because these are the actions that move us into right relationship with God and Neighbor. It is by God that we are blessed to have skill, reason, and work and it is commanded by God that we share our gifts in all forms.

The ‘sharing and caring’ that happens in stewardship is practical and spiritual. There is an essential need of the church to live in this world and it is through your dollars and support that we are able to continue. That spiritual action of sharing is the Holy work of being grateful for what we have.

Our prayer as the Bishop’s Committee is that we take stewardship seriously in action and prayer. We invite you to participate in our stewardship season and consider a pledge to the church. Your pledge helps us plan for the upcoming year and inspires the church to continue in healthy stewardship with your gifts as we grow our church, prepare for a non profit cafe, and continue supporting our local community in a multitude of ways.

The next four Sundays, we will have reminders and cards for people to turn in. Another big goal is to get as many people pledging through REALM. Realm is our online database system that helps us communicate more effectively with the congregation.

Please prayerfully consider making a pledge to ECR and bring your cards to church over the next few weeks. We will bless them on the altar and give them to God.

Blessings

Fr. Billy Tweedie, Vicar                                 The Bishop’s Committee