Word.
Word up.
What’s the word?
Can I have a word please?
Get a word in edgewise.
Say the word.
Give the word.
Speak the word.
You have my word.
Preach the word.
The word of the Lord.
The Ten words. The Decalogue.
The Word became flesh.
God is speaking the word that is recreating, renewing, respeaking creation, setting the captives free.
We have heard the word.
We have received the word.
The word is a person.
Jesus has been spoken into this world, into our lives, and we complete the sentence with how we live.
Stewardship is about one thing, telling God thank you, for life itself, but especially for being set free by the word that is Jesus Christ our Lord, the word that completes the broken syntax of our lives.
Stewardship isn’t about paying dues, or keeping the lights on.
How many ways can I tell God thankyou? That is Stewardship. It’s real simple.
All ministry is about the many ways of giving God thanks.
Our pledge drive for 2024 has begun, it is simply one way to give God thanks and praise.
How thankful am I? How much thanks do I dare?
Let me count the ways.
Thank you for those who have already responded.
We have extra pledge cards on the table in the narthex, if you need one or have already lost your card.
Susan and I tithe.
The tithe is the traditional biblical mandate of a faithful life.
We tithe to the ministry of Grace and St. George, a full 10% off the top. And we do more than that for additional outreach and special projects.
We have been giving 12% of our income to the ministry of the Gospel for many years now. Who knows, next year we may get to 13%.
We have not always been able to do that. It takes work and sacrifice. It has never been easy, it has not always been with a joyful heart, it has always been a challenge to dare to be that thankful.
It means doing without. Doing Less.
Simple holidays. Staycations. A house not fully maintained. Eating home most of the time. Children with large student loans.
Thanksgiving calls us into a life of sacrifice, a life shaped by the cross.
To me it has always felt like God has been daring me, “I double dog dare you Jack, to become truly free.”
The image we are working with this year comes from one of our own, The peaceable Kingdom, by Kathy Harris. It hangs in the nursery.
The theme comes for Isaiah’s vision of that peaceable kingdom with a child leading the way, a child shall lead them.
The word of peace is being spoken into the world, into our lives, and that word is Jesus.
Every moment and every year is critical in the life the life of faith, eternity is always in the balance.
This next year it is even more evident than usual.
We have chosen the theme of, a child shall lead them, because we have a very clear and simple choice, will Grace have children or not?
For more than fifty years Grace has almost always had a second priest or a dedicated staff position whose ministry is with children and youth.
We no longer have that.
We are looking for a staff person. It has become a very rare calling.
In order for us to call and keep such a ministry sustained, Grace will need to increase giving by at least 10%. We all need to give at least 10% more. Cut and dry.
We have reached one of those rare moments where questions and answers are extremely crystal clear.
How thankful are we?
Will we have children who hear and speak the word of peace that is Jesus?
The question is clear.
The answer is clear.
Moments like this are a gift.
Clarity is a gift.
Thank you.
Say the word.