Pastor's Pen - October 2005

Dear Friends in Christ,

In the Old Testament, when the harvest began, the people of God would bring their offering of first fruits to the Lord. They recognized God as the source of their bounty and wanted to share the first and best portions of that bounty with God. Today most people are far removed from the earth and have lost the connection that it brought with God. Even we who are in a rural area tend to think much more in terms of our own efforts, certainly important, and the effects of science and chemistry as the sources for a good harvest. God has been pushed to the edges of life in so many ways and the idea of offering first fruits to God seems more than antiquated. Yet it is in fact the first fruits that we are encouraged to continue to give to God in response to what God has done for us in the Savior, Jesus the Christ.

Good stewardship is a matter of faith and trust in God to care and to provide for God’s children. We have been blessed with God’s love and grace and redemption. Our giving is done in response to God’s graciousness. Having nothing to earn or to gain, we are free to give generously for the sake of the mission that God has entrusted to God’s people, the Church. Many often complain about giving to the Church, saying that the Church is always talking about money or always out begging for money for this project or that. In reality, the Church does not give money the same importance that Jesus gave to it nor doe it speak about it often enough or clearly enough. In addition, as the Church carries out its commitment to the proclamation of the gospel of our Lord and Savior , it is never "begging" for anything. Rather it gives its members good opportunities to share the abundance that God has given them with others who are in need.

Unfortunately, the human response to any discussion of stewardship and giving tends to be one of defensiveness and resistance. However, such a discussion is absolutely necessary on a regular basis. Giving of oneself, one’s time, talents, and resources to the point at which it feels good does not come naturally to us who are a part of this world. We talk about giving until it hurts only to realize that it will always hurt until we address the issue clearly and in faith. No one is expected to give beyond his or her means. However, each is asked to give as generously as God has given. As we have been blessed by God, so others will continue to be blessed as a result of our generosity, whether in regular benevolence or in times of natural disaster.

You are invited to make this time of harvest an opportunity to consider your gifts to the ministry of the Savior through the congregations. Prayerfully consider what God has done for you and the blessings that are yours. Then prayerfully consider your regular, faithful, and generous response. You will know when it feels good.