During our 40 Days of Purpose Campaign this fall we learned some new definitions for familiar church words as we explored God's purposes for our lives:

    WORSHIP is knowing and loving God,
    FELLOWSHIP is loving each other,
    DISCIPLESHIP is becoming more like Christ,
    SERVICE is using my abilities for God in the church family,
    EVANGELISM is sharing the Good News as a witness in the world.

      Then as we celebrated at the end of our 40 Days, we heard the challenge from John's Gospel "Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." (John 13:17) Christian faith requires understanding the words but it can never be only about the meaning of the words. It comes back around to how we live out what we have learned and whom we serve in our daily living.

      In the weeks just past and the next ones in November, we are adding a word to our vocabulary list:
      STEWARDSHIP is remembering that everything and everyone belongs to God.

      Our fall financial stewardship campaign has as its theme, "For Thine is the Power." It calls to mind the language of the book of Revelation extolling God's great power. This is the power in which we trust ultimately and which is available to every one of us as believers. We will be focusing on getting and staying connected to this power source and faithfully returning to God out of all that God has given us as stewards.

      Financial commitments will be received in worship services beginning Saturday/Sunday  November 6/7 and continuing until November 20/21. These commitments support the church operating budget--separate from the Share the Vision Building Fund. Without these commitment we are unable to support ministries, missions, church staff, and pay our conference apportionment. Without your faithful and sacrificial response, we will not be able to continue and expand our church's mission and ministry.

      There is a story about a wise woman who was traveling in the mountains and found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime.
But a few days later, he came back to return the stone to the wise woman. "I've been thinking," he said. "I know how valuable this stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious.  Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me this stone."

      What a marvelous story about how we live when we are connected to God's power and understand God's blessings and provision in our lives. So much of stewardship is having it within ourselves to see life clearly and live accordingly. The challenge is before to continue to mature as Christian believers and those who live according to power that is within us, thanks be to God.

Grace and peace to each one of you,