Beloved Brothers and Sisters,
Christ is in our midst!
We greet you in the Name our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Christ reminded us through the Holy Prophet Jeremiah that “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit,” (Jeremiah 17: 7-8).
God cares for us all—and will guide us through all times of turmoil and tribulation. It is when we misplace our trust putting it in our own ingenuity or in human beings, that we are sorely disappointed.
When we trust our best to God, meager as it is compared to what Christ has given for us, He ensures that there will always be enough. Just like with the five loaves and two fish feeding the five thousand, placing our trust in the Lord means that we will have everything needed for our salvation.
May we place all our hope in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to trust the best of ourselves to Him. For when we offer our Time, our Talents, and our Treasure to God, He relieves our anxieties, calms our worries and replaces our fear with the Joy of the Holy Spirit, enabling us to truly live as His Body, the Church!
In Christ’s Love,
Father Christopher
& the Stewardship Committee
Please return completed Stewardship Commitment Cards to the church office, attention "Financial Secretary".
We are called to live life in continuous thanksgiving for Christ. Thus, our entire perspective on the world is transformed. No longer can we look at the things in our life as anything but a Gift from God. We are being prepared by God to enter into Eternal Communion with Him. The joys we experience are recognized as the fruit of this Communion. Even the very suffering we endure becomes a Gift which prepares us for the “weight of Glory” which is to come!
Our very thanksgiving for this Gift of Christ becomes a life of Stewardship—of caring for this Gift that is not our own. We care for this Gift of Communion with Him by living a life in which we dedicate all that we are—our Time, our Talents, and our Treasures—to God in thanksgiving for all that He has done for us. Thus, when we offer ourselves to the Church, our offering is no longer considered to be “in support” of our local parish, but as an offering of Thanksgiving to God. Our offering is then utilized by God in whatever manner He sees fit, unto His Glory.
Thus, when filling out your Stewardship Commitment Card this year, take into consideration how much of your Time, Talents and Treasures you are offering in thanks to God.
TIME: God has graciously bestowed upon us the entirety of our lives. He has blessed us with 168 hours per week (or roughly a little more than 10,000 minutes/week). How many of these 168 hours do we offer to Him? Take some time to consider what you are willing to offer to God in thanks for all He has given you. Remember, time also includes your time in personal prayer and reflection.
TALENTS: God bestows upon each one of us unique and wonderful abilities. Consider how God has blessed you with talents and abilities in your life. On the Commitment Card, there are listed potential ministries and activities. Mark the ones in which you are interested in participating. If one or more of your talents does not match up, please list them in the space provided.
TREASURES: Everything we have is a blessing from God—even our “hard-earned” money. It is His Gifts of Time and Talents that enable us to even earn a living anyway! Consider what you are able to offer in thanksgiving for all that God has bestowed upon you. Remember, our offerings should be made regularly, so determine whether your offering will be weekly or monthly—but make it regularly! It is also appropriate here to determine your offering in terms of a percentage of income, for those whose income is not consistent.
If circumstances change and you cannot fulfill your commitment, fear not! We are a loving community, not a tax office. The most important thing is to give from the heart. We are thankful to God for you being a part of this community!