November 11, 2014

It is Veterans Day in the United States. Please join me in lifting a prayer for all those who have served their country as part of the military. Such service often exacts a heavy toll on the service members and their families. May we be mindful.
Just before worship this past Sunday I got word that Ruth Smith had passed away. Ruth celebrated her 99th birthday in April and was with us in worship for the occasion. I was able to visit her this past Wednesday. She smiled as recounted memories and I updated with news of the congregation. She was born as World War I was beginning although she said. “I don’t remember it very well.” We give thanks to our Creator for all the days of her life and for the days she spent as part of our congregation.
This coming Sunday, November 16, is Pledge Sunday. Please bring your pledges of time, talent and treasure with you to church. There will be time in the worship service to bring them forward.
My sermon will be “Stewards of the Church.” It is the final sermon of my “Season of Stewardship” series in which we have also considered the ways we are stewards of our memories and stewards of the Scripture.
As part of my sermon I will point us toward this Invitation to Stewardship of The Reverend Michael Schuler:

If you are proud of this congregation, become its advocate.
If you are concerned for it future, share its message.
If its values resonate deep within you, give it a measure of your devotion.
This community cannot survive without your faith, your confidence, and your enthusiastic support.
As always, its destiny rests in your hands.

The invitation states well our role as stewards of the church. The only corrective I would offer is that while it is true that, in many ways, the church is our hands, it is ultimately in the hands of God. Again, we are stewards, not owners.

Announcements

The Aspire and Achieve working group will meet Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in  the Family Room.
The Forum this Sunday will be Dr. Aaron Hopkins leading us in a consideration of the stewardship of our bodies, i.e., keeping fit at every age.