Pastor's Thoughts November 2009

Dear People of Faith,
The calendar we use makes November the penultimate (next to last) month of the year. It is a fitting season to look back at the blessings God has given us. So thought presidents and congress going all the way back to George Washington, who affirmed November as the month for Thanksgiving Day. It is also no accident that Stewardship Sunday falls in the same month as Thanksgiving, for it is out of gratitude that true generosity is born.
If you look up the definition of steward in the dictionary, you will find it defined as one who is put in charge of the affairs of another, a manager or supervisor of another’s resources. In the church we are stewards of resources that don’t belong to us—namely the material and spiritual blessings of God. It’s the reason that I don’t handle the offering plates on Sunday mornings—to reinforce the truth that what is put in those plates goes not to me, not even to the church, but to God. The church only manages what belongs to God.
I have been involved in Stewardship Sundays for three decades, and I have heard a lot of talk about the church’s asking for pledges of support. One question I’ve heard often is “Why does the church need so much money?” Another comment is “I won’t give until I know where every dollar goes.” A third, more sarcastic remark is “If our offerings go to God, since when does God need anything?” It reminds me of the man who said that he always throws a handful of money up into the air toward God, saying “Whatever God wants He can take; whatever falls back to the ground is mine to keep.” In reality, most of these comments are made by people who want to know how cheaply they can get by with God. They think frugality, but God calls us to abundance. Jesus once made an example out of a poor widow who threw her last penny in the temple treasury. Small though the offering was, it was all that she had. She didn’t ask if her little bit were needed, nor did she ask to see the Treasurer’s Report to see if her penny would be spent wisely. She gave out of gratitude. It had nothing to do with need, only her need to give, her need to express somehow how she felt about God’s blessings in her life.
For me personally, giving is the ultimate form of worship on Sunday mornings—giving our praise to God, giving our attention to God’s Word, giving our offerings to God on the altar, giving our lives to God in response to God’s call. As we sing in the offering response, “The greatest thing in all my life is serving You [God].”
Many of us are in the Novembers of our lives—the penultimate season just before the last years. It is a time to look back and remember what God has been to us. It is also a time to ponder what our purpose has been in this life. That is a much broader question than how much we should pledge or what activities we should sign up for next year. Just what is life all about? For what reason were we born? Why have we lived? Surely we live for something greater than ourselves! Surely God has given us our material and spiritual blessings for the sake of others, not just ourselves! I encourage you to ponder the marvel of God’s trust in us as stewards when you fill out your Giving Card and Church Ministry Form this month. There is a reason God has blessed you and made you part of Spring Hill United Church of Christ. Knowing how God can use you makes all the difference in how you live and give. Many in our congregation have shown us that with their generosity of time, talent, and money. How about you?

With affection,
Pastor Carlan