Stewardship?

Is it that time of year again? Is it time to prepare for our annual stewardship campaign? Yes, it is. Usually, this season is a favorite of mine. We are lining up everything for the coming year — budget, nominations slate, new January sermon series. And, we are looking forward to the different rhythms of the holiday season…time off at Thanksgiving, special Advent worship services, and Christmas Eve. But, this year is not like any other year. So, yes, it is time to prepare for our stewardship campaign, but we’ll be doing that differently than in past years.

Before I tell you about this year’s campaign, let’s remember together why we give attention to stewardship. Stewardship is best illustrated by Jesus as he tells the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). The story begins with a master entrusting his property to his slaves. A dawning realization…the property doesn’t belong to those in charge of its use. Then, we realize the slaves are not asked by the master if they want to hold his trust and be in charge of his property. Just as it is his property, he is entitled to trust it to those he chooses. Finally, we notice his arbitrary decision…to trust some of the slaves with more and others with less. The one trusted with the most does the most with it and has more to return to the master. The one trusted with the least lets fear control him. Interestingly, he “hides” his talent — as if he can forget it has been trusted to him.

Jesus’ parables never get old and they never cease to challenge our assumptions. This one clarifies several truths in the spiritual life — pandemic or no. One, all we have belongs to God — not just the tithe. Two, God notices how we steward the resources trusted to us in deciding which future resources will be placed in our care. Three, we can’t pretend God didn’t give it to us. It is God’s choice to give it to us and it will be God’s prerogative to decide whether we have used it wisely or not. Fourth, stewardship is serious business in a life of discipleship. It is not about an offering, or even a tithe. Stewardship is about a final accounting.

At Faith, we choose the month of November to look carefully at these truths and allow the light of examination to reveal our next steps of commitment. On the Sunday before Thanksgiving, we step forward with our commitment cards and declare to God and our spiritual community what goal we have set, what amount we are trusting to our life together in the coming year. As faithful stewards, we receive all that God chooses to give with gratitude. We hold it with open hands and return the portion God calls us to give back to God through our church — as an act of trust in God’s provision. It is a way of life that leads to freedom, humility and contentment.

If you’ve read this far, you are on the same page with me about what stewardship means and why it matters. However, there is still the pesky question of, “How can I possibly know what to expect in 2021 and write my giving goal down on a card?” I join you. I feel the same trepidation. So, I go back to what has formed the best response I’ve mustered in this season — I will decide what I can and trust where I can’t. So much has changed since March 15. Planning and strategizing seems ludicrous most days. But, each day, there is usually something I can decide and I try to do so with an eye to the coming of the Kingdom. I might have the change the decision tomorrow. That is okay. But, for today, I’m deciding to take the next faithful step I feel God calling me to make.

Faith, your leadership is facing 2021 with this same strategy. We’ve created a budget that we think expresses our faith in God and is informed with the best information we can gather. If we have to change it next year, we will. But, we also don’t want to miss the chance to declare our faith in God to provide. We don’t want to hide the talent God has trusted to us because we are afraid. We hope you won’t either. We are planning to mail you a letter around Nov. 10 with a commitment card in it. You’ll have the opportunity to respond with your best guess for your giving goal in 2021. We’ll also ask you to respond to some other questions about how you are experiencing our time of disconnection. We’ll place a first-class stamp on the reply envelope to make it safe for you to return it without having to be in person. And, on Nov. 22, we’ll celebrate the commitments we are making to our life together next year. As an act of faith, we are declaring that we will keep our eye on God’s coming kingdom and put our trust in God’s faithfulness. I hope you’ll engage this journey with us.

Now, celebrate a few things with me. We are in the beginning stages of some new partnerships that might bear a whole lot of kingdom fruit. We continue to meet the needs of those who are without during this season with our food ministry, our bed ministry and through Care Portal. Our crisis response funds are allowing us to help keep people in their homes as many face eviction or foreclosure. We think we’ve designed a safe experience for our families with young children at our upcoming Trunk-or-Treat — and feel blessed that we can keep at least one of our traditions. We have four new small groups, meeting online, starting between now and the end of the month.

Looking forward to our worship together,