February 2015
The
Shepherd’’s Horn
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church • Virginia Beach, Va.
Ten Minutes
That May
Change
Your Life
What shapes how
you make decisions
on a daily basis?
What frames the
way you see the
world and all that
goes on in your life? Are there things that
you do on a daily basis that mark you as a
Christian? Do you desire a more vibrant
faith or a deeper sense of God’s active
presence in your life?
One of the foundational marks of a
follower of Jesus is the reading of
Scripture. Scripture invites us into the story of God — the story of salvation,
abundant life, of forgiveness and hope —
and helps us understand our own story.
Scripture reminds us that our lives are not
our own but pure gift, and that we are loved
with an eternal love that cannot be
extinguished.
As we read the Bible, the teachings of Jesus
can give our lives direction and focus. The
promise that God brings life out of death
gives shape to how we see the world and
how we live our lives. The guidance of the
Holy Spirit encourages our walk of faith
Make Time For God this Lent
Lent begins this year on Wednesday, February 18.
Grounded in and modeled after the forty days Jesus spent
in the wilderness being tempted by the devil, it is a time
for us to contemplate what gets in the way of our relationship with God. Lent is also and invitation to be refreshed
and in renewed as we make time for God, especially
through worship, Bible study,
prayer, and fasting. Join us this
Inside This Issue
year as together we take time
to make time for God.
Pastors Pen ................ 1
Ash Wednesday
Council President ..... 2
Two services on February 18: Parish Update ........... 3
Noon and 7:00 p.m. with the
Calendar ................... 5
Imposition of Ashes.
Serving this Month ... 6
News & Events ........ 7
Midweek Soup &
Bread Suppers
Beginning February 25, we
will gather each Wednesday evening in Lent for a light
meal of homemade soups and delicious breads. Dinner
will be served from 6:00 p.m. until 6:50 p.m. - come as
you are. There are signup sheets in the narthex for those
who would be willing to bring soup or
bread.
Midweek Worship Services
This year we will gather on Wednesday
evenings in Lent at 7:00 p.m. for
Holden Evening Prayer. This brief, but
beautiful service, offers an opportunity to
immerse oneself in the flow of God’s grace, and to be
refilled and refreshed by the presence of the Living God.
continued pg.4
We are Christ’s hands and voice in the world
THE SHEPHERD’S
HORN
A publication of
GOOD SHEPHERD
Lutheran Church
[ELCA]
1489 Laskin Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23451-6047
Ph—757-428-4052
Fax -757-425-8503
Office Hours
Monday - Thursday
9 am - 4 p.m.
Friday — Closed
The Rev. Scott A. Mims, Pastor
[email protected]
and
The Rev. Cathy J. Mims, Pastor
[email protected]
Patricia R. Morgan
Administrative Coordinator
[email protected]
From Our Council
President:
I don't know about you, but I tend to be a lazy
Christian. Even though I know I should “do”
a devotional daily, I tend to cop out and do
two short ones because they are sent to me
electronically. One is a daily e-mail from Max Lucado called
“Up Words”, where Max pens a short two or three paragraphs
of often meaningful thoughts.
The other devotion is sent to me daily by my son, Jeff. I've
never asked, but I presume it is an automatic message sent to
those he has included in the addressee list. Every day is a
different Bible verse, with an extremely short blurb afterwards.
Today's is Ephesians 3:20-21: “Now to him who is able to do
immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to
his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the
church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever
and ever! Amen.” The short blurb: “He is at work and your
acceptance will allow amazing thing to happen. Volunteer
somewhere today.”
I liked the one my son sent today. We forget that God can and
will do much more than we expect with our feeble human
minds and we should allow Him to use us to do amazing things
in His name.
Thankfully, we have people here at Good Shepherd who do
allow God to do amazing things through them. I can easily
think of many people. Today I would like to lift up, Jackie
Rosendahl (and Mark) and Robin Patrick who have been
putting together all the fellowship activities for a little more
than a year. On January 18 they once again did a fantastic job
at the reception for Dr. Echols. The food was plentiful and
tasty and the presentation great. Thanks be to God for using
Jackie, Mark and Robin!
Don
Men’s Bible
Study
Stephen J. Sunderland
Music Director/Organist
Officers
Don Paske, President
Chris Welch, Vice President
Claudia Banner, Secretary
Donna White, Treasurer
Frank Gurdziel, Financial Secretary
Wednesdays
11:00 a.m.
All Men Welcome
B.Y.O.B.
(Bring Your Own Bible)
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
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Bishop Mauney to
Visit The Tidewater
Conference
Council Bullets & Bits
The following are highlights from Council’s
meeting held on January 10, 2015:
• Council met on a Saturday for our annual
planning “retreat” and January meeting. As
part of our planning 3 areas were identified
for special emphasis in the coming year:
reinvigorating worship, growing disciples
through Bible study and small groups, and
hospitality. More information will be
shared with the congregation at the Annual
Meeting on Sunday, February 1.
• Recipients of this year’s Shepherd’s Award
were chosen. The award will be presented
at the Annual Meeting.
• We rejoice in the news that we ended 2014
“in the black” financially!
• Arrangements for the upcoming Martin
Luther King, Jr. weekend and the Annual
Meeting were discussed.
• An update on the steeple revealed the
welcome news that the brickwork is in
better shape than at first thought.
• Council voted to disburse our tithe of the
funds received for the Laskin Rd. project
easement as follows: $3,000 to the Virginia
Synod, $500 to PIN Ministry, $500 to the
Lighthouse/Volunteers of America.
• Bishop Mauney will visit the Tidewater
Conference on February 15.
On Sunday, February 15, the
Rev. Jim Mauney, Bishop of
our Virginia Synod, will visit
with congregational leaders
and members of the Lutheran churches in
Tidewater. This gathering of area Lutherans will
be held at First Lutheran Church in Norfolk,
beginning at 3:00 p.m.
The focus of the afternoon will be on our
work together in outreach and mission for the
sake of Christ. It should be a fun, inspiring time
for worship, fellowship, and conversation. We
invite everyone who is interested in attending to
join us. Please contact one of the pastors or our
President, Don Paske, for more information.
Good Shepherd Finishes 2014
in the Black
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the life
and ministry of Good Shepherd this past year!
Your generous giving has not only helped us to
touch the lives of thousands of people in our
community, but allowed us to finish the year on a
very positive note financially. We are especially
grateful for the special gifts that made December
such a strong month for us. A summary of our
ending position is presented below. What a
tremendous boost after being $10,000 behind last
November. So again, THANK YOU!
Our next meeting will be on February 3, 2015.
Financial Snapshot
End of Year 2014
December
Total 2014
$36,818
$303,617
Expenses $24,998
$301,164
Income
Net
$11,820
$
Congregational
Meeting &
Tailgate Party
Sunday,
February 1
2,453
Please join us in Taylor-Keister Hall after the
11 o’clock Service for our Annual Meeting
& Super Bowl Tailgate party. Bring your
favorite tailgating food to share, and come
celebrate what God is up to at Good
Shepherd.
Facebook.com/Good Shepherd Lutheran Church VB
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
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continued from front
and empowers us to love others and live the
Christian life.
So reading the Bible is really important. It was so
important to Martin Luther that he translated the
Bible into German so that everyday people had
access to it. Today our problem is not access.
Bibles are abundant. Today part of our problem is
time. Reading the Bible can seem so overwhelming; it is hard to even know where to begin. It can
also seem really confusing. It is not always
immediately understandable.
Winter Celebration 2015
This past weekend I was fortunate enough to
attend my last synod event as a high school
youth. Even though this was my last retreat, it
was a bittersweet weekend that I will continue to
treasure as I make my way into college. The
theme of the weekend came from 1 Tim. 1:3-5,
including Paul’s encouragement that, “the goal of
this command is love, which comes from a pure
heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”
Being a Christian, especially in high school, is
not an easy task. We are constantly tested by
those around us who do not share the same
beliefs and who are not afraid to tell us that we
are wrong in our thoughts and doings. Our first
instinct might be to defend these beliefs of a God
who is all-powerful and all-good, but this
weekend has taught us that we are to show others
that we are Christians by our actions and love;
not so much our words.
But because we are followers of Jesus, we read the
Bible. We believe that it will speak to us a word
of God’s grace and love, a word of challenge and a
word of comfort, a word that kills sin and brings
forth good fruit in our hearts. Pastor Scott and I
believe that a congregation that is fully engaged in
reading Scripture will experience a revitalization
in its spirit; it will discover a renewed joy and a
strengthened faith.
Therefore, during Lent, we are going to embark on
a congregational reading of the Gospel according
to Matthew. 40 days to read 28 chapters. Really
doable. We will have a sign-up in the narthex for
those willing to commit to reading about ten
minutes each day (yes—I said ten minutes!). We
will have bookmarks with the appointed reading
for each day. We’d like this to be interactive, so
we’ll have discussion questions on Facebook;
we’ll also have some devotional readings coming
out each week with the weekly update.
We begin February 18 on Ash Wednesday. I hope
you’ll join in the conversation and share in the
reading of Scripture. You never know—you just
may discover Jesus all over again for the first time,
and find your heart, soul, mind and faith renewed
in joy.
Pastor Cathy
A pure heart, good conscience, and a sincere
faith sound as if they are the three most difficult
tasks to tackle one by one, let alone all at once.
We are here to carry out God’s word and to love
like Jesus did: unconditionally and inexplicably.
Jesus sat with sinners and tax collectors and
those who were hated among the most
“righteous” religious figures at the time, despite
what was said and thought about him. He was
there for those who needed his love the most.
Overall, this weekend helped to bring my faith to
a place where I know it will continue to grow,
even after I graduate from high school. I am so
glad to have gotten to spend my weekend with a
group of the most loving and caring (and very
hilarious) people that I have ever met: Esmere
Litz, Crystal Greene, Alice Chandler, Kelsey and
Karen Welch, and Pastor Cathy. I cannot wait to
watch the rest of the youth grow in their own
faith as they return to Eagle Eyrie in the years
that follow.
- Maura Dunbar
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
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Calendar
Community Groups:
6:30 am Early Bird AA, M-F; 8:00 am Breakfast Club AA, M-S; 8 pm Mon Nite AA; 5:30 pm Sundowners AA ,
Wed; 8:30 pm NARC ANON, Fri.;1 pm Parkinson Exercise Class; 6:00 pm Sun Nite AA.; 7:00 pm Farley Ctr, Rm 4,
2nd & 4th Wed., 7:00 pm SCA Grp, TKH, Thurs; Fri. 12:00 pm Recovery Grp, Rm 4.
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
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8:30
8:30
11:00
Nursery
1
Connie Johnson
8
15
22
Assisting Ministers
1
8
15
18
22
Skip Banner
Chris Sunderland
Don Paske
Lesli White
Jenni Chandler
Gwyne Van Slyke
Chris Sunderland (7pm) Ash Wednesday
Nancy Crane
Mary Addison
Communion Assistants
1 Karen Welch
8 Jenni Chandler
15 Chris Welch
22 Kevin Stage
15 Vance Newsome
Kinzey Newsome
22 Alice Chandler
Trevor Gray
Shelby Miller
Eric Knocklein
Justin Colquitt
Julia LaFountaine
Maura Dunbar
Andre Knocklein
Makenna Miller
Jacqueline Mims
Lectors
1 Chuck Starbranch
8 Karin Lundgren
15 Donna White
22 Don Paske
Gabriella Gerber
Roger White
Oliver Knocklein
Rebecca Kinzie
Counters
1 Don Paske, Pat Morgan
8 Lynnae Rea, Bobbi Skinner-White
15 Jackie Rosendahl, Geri Smiejan
22 Cheryl Tennant, Shirley
Coffee Hosts
1
Dan Guest
8
Welch Family
15
Charles Cullum
22
Flowers
1
Margit Fountain
8
Ed & Jean Heuer
15
Rich & Marty Schwenk, Mary Addison
22
Sanctuary Lamp
1 Margit Fountain
8
15
22
Gift Bearers/Greeters
1 Elizabeth Gerber
Roger & Donna White
Leona Snow
8 Chris & Karen Welch
C. Tennant/S. Ammon
15 Lucy Blagus
Dullum Family
Ken Gray
18 Sandy Lindstrom, Lynnae Rea (7pm)
22 Buddy Anderson
Dunbar Family
Chris Welch
Ushers
1 Daniel Guest
Charles Cullum
8 Frank Gurdziel
Gloria Gurdziel
15 Bud Chutter
Marty Chandler
22 Chris Welch
Karen Welch
Ambry Lamp
Bulletin Folders
5
12
19
26
Karl Blumenberg
Ray Ingold
John Addison
Elizabeth Gerber
Cindy Olson
Margit Fountain
Cindy Olson
Food Pantry
5 Mazzie Jackson, Kim Brown
12 Cindy Olson, Carole Steele
19 Sylvia Solhaug
26 Margit Fountaine, Connie Miller
Eucharistic Ministers
1
Chris & Karen Welch
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Cynthia Shochet
Jane Kinzie
Cynthia Shochet
Sharon LaFountaine
Altar Guild
1 Karen Welch, Karin Lundgren
8 Jodi Dullum,. Stacy Dunbar
15 Jodi Dullum, Stacy Dunbar
22
Robin Patrick, Frances Sunderland
Mary Addison
Scott LaFountaine
Lynnae Rea
Sondra Lindstrom
Servers/Acolytes
1 Alice Chandler
Trevor Gray
8 Kelsey Welch
11:00
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Address Change:
Kevin & Bonnie Tran, 313 Teton Circle
Suffolk VA 23425-3477
New Arrival:
Congratulations to Alexis LaFountaine on the
birth of her daughter Riley. Proud grandparents
are Scott & Sharon LaFountaine.
PIN Ministry
On behalf of the Board
of Directors, thank you
for your continued and
generous support of
this organization. 2014
was another great year! PIN provided over
15,600 hot meals and 5,8000 bas lunches, 5,400
sets of clothing, and 1,300 hygiene packs. We
have provided over 1,200 medical clinic visits,
500 prescriptions, and 240 dental clinic visits.
Again, thank you for your continued support.
Birthdays
2
4
5
12
15
16
17
18
19
25
Margaret Hotz, Orma Jean Swanson
Vance Newsome, Lucas Kinzie
Jean Heuer, Lynnae Rea, Herb Greene
Tim Miller, Jennifer Shochet
Helen Vambell
Alana Harris Litz
Leah Harris
Matthew Waldon
Trevor Gray
Jean Ingold, Sylvia Solhaug
Cynthia Elowsky
Dallas Stamper, Executive Director
Shrove Tuesday
Pancake Supper
February 17
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Anniversaries
4
6
7
Shrove Tuesday, Fat
Tuesday, Mardi Gras, whatever you choose to
call it, it all comes down to the same thing - one
last party before the fasting of Lent. Join us for
our annual celebration of Shrove Tuesday.
Hosted by our Youth, all proceeds this year will
go towards our trip to the national ELCA Youth
Gathering in Detroit.
Jim & Gwyne Van Slyke
Kevin Jones & Karin Lundgren
Joker & Robin Patrick
Good Shepherd Sunday
February 22
Happy Birthday Good
Shepherd! Officially organized
in February, 1955, we celebrate
60 years of ministry in Virginia
Beach this year. Join us on
February 22 as we mark with
gratitude this milestone. A special
offering will be received for our
Master Server Award and for our
Senior Recognition Quilts.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jody Bryant
on the death of her mother, Agnes Lacey. A
memorial service will be held February 7. The
Rev. David Penman and his family on the death
of his mother, Betty Penman. The Rev. Rick
Goeres and family on the death of his mother,
Gloria Goeres Bouchard.
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
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Choir Notes:
Join Us for
Easter!
The choirs at Good
Shepherd are always
an integral part of the
worship services. In
the past, the adult
choir has taken on the
lion’s share of service leadership, and for the most
part that will remain constant. The children’s
choir has, however, blossomed and is able to lead
the liturgy better than ever before. Recently, the
group has taken part in more and more services.
They lead in their singing skills, their choir-chime
ringing skills and their in-church behavior:
They’re just an awesome group of children and
they’re a joy for me to be with. Thanks, parents.
Tidewater Youth Rally !
Sunday, February 15
Calling all Middle and High School Youth: We
are having an area Youth Rally! On Sunday,
February 15, join Dave Delaney and other
Lutheran youth from all over the Tidewater for a
“mini-gathering.” The event begins at 3 p.m.
and is being held at First Lutheran Church in
Norfolk as part of Bishop Mauney’s visit to our
area. If you need a ride, please let Pastor Scott
know. It should be an awesome time!
Gathering Team
Meeting
On Easter Sunday, I’m going to try two new ideas:
One for the children at the 11:00 service and one
for adults at the 8:30 service:
Youth attending the ELCA
Gathering in Detroit this
summer will meet on
Friday, February 6 at the
Welch’s at 6:00 p.m.
Invite A Friend to Choir
I would like for any children who are currently in
the choir to invite at least one friend or neighbor to
sing an anthem with them on Easter morning. This
will necessarily mean that they will need to be in
attendance at the normal 6:30 PM Tuesday
rehearsals for the 4 weeks prior to Easter; March
10, March 17, March 21, and March 28.
Confirmation Class Meets
February 8
Our Confirmation Class will meet at Grace
Lutheran Church in Chesapeake on Sunday,
February 8 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Parents are
asked to join us for the first 15 minutes of the
class.
In addition, it would be great if any children who
are currently attending church, but have not been
able to participate with the choir on a regular basis,
would try to arrange their schedule to add their
beautiful voices to make this the “best Easter ever”.
In Case of Winter
Weather
Calling All 8:30 Singers
For the 8:30 Easter service, it would be wonderful
for us to have a small choir of adults who already
attend church at that time. My plan is to have a
short (15 - 20 min.) rehearsal following the early
service each of three Sundays prior to Easter
Sunday. (March 15, March 22, and March 29)
There are many of you with super voices that can
put an easy anthem together in the allotted time.
With winter upon us, if you are
wondering whether we are closed
due to the weather, please check
the following locations:
WAYV-TV website WAVY.com
Fox 43
website Fox43tv.com
If you are a regular subscriber to our newsletter
by email, then look for an email to be sent. Please
note, you must go to one of the websites for the
above television stations. We will not be listed
on air.
Thanks,
Steve
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
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of us to discuss, especially publicly, but the format
of the presentation on the topic of “King’s Beloved
Community: Then and Now,” was extremely open
and was an opportunity for many of us to learn
more about the definition of racism, open up about
our own personal experiences with race and racism and entering an honest discussion about moving forward past our own prejudices and fears.
Martin Luther
King, Jr.
Remembered
On January 18 it was
an honor to welcome
the Rev. Dr. James
Kenneth Echols as our
guest preacher and
speaker. Preaching
from Ephesians 2,
Dr. Echols connected
our unity through the
blood of Jesus Christ
with King’s legacy and
vision, as well as with our call as people of God to
continue the work of justice and righteousness. Later in the afternoon, Dr. Echols led a discussion in
which around 50 people participated.
Prior to the event, I never knew that my uncle had
the opportunity to shake hands with Dr. King
when he was a young boy and how that experience
had such a profound impact on him, fueling his
deep desire to have a greater understanding of one
of America’s most influential civil rights, political
and social icons and how Dr. King’s dream still
applies today, in our own social context. Also, as a
King scholar, he was able to offer a deep scholarly
and personal perspective on Dr. King as a man, as
a figure and his enduring legacy.
We are very grateful for Dr. Echols’ leadership, as
well as for all who worked so hard to make this a
very special event. Special thanks go to our
Outreach Team for organizing this event, Steve
Sunderland and our choirs for a wonderful offering
of music, and to Jackie and Mark Rosendahl, Robin
Patrick, and all who helped to provide a beautiful
(and tasty) reception and coffee hours.
I can’t tell you how many people came up to me
after both services and the discussion and said that
they were glad they had an opportunity to hear my
uncle speak and to be a part of the dialogue. Some
at the event were even honest enough to say that
they hadn’t had opportunities to have open
conversations around race before and felt it was
important that they were there.
While “King’s Beloved Community: Then and
Now” was an amazingly honest and open
conversation, the dialogue doesn’t stop here. For
all who didn’t make it to the two services or 3 p.m.
forum, don’t fret. We plan on continuing this
dialogue and having other events like this in the
years to come, with the conversation expanding
outside of our church to include churches
throughout Tidewater from other ecumenical
communities. Stay tuned.
- Lesli White
An Honest and Necessary
Conversation
It was a pleasure having my uncle, the Rev. Dr.
James Kenneth Echols join us as our guest preacher
and speaker on the Martin Luther King, Jr.
weekend, not only because I don’t get an
opportunity to hear him speak often, but also
because “King’s Beloved Community: Then and
Now” was an honest conversation we needed to
have.
“Can We Talk?” was one of the first questions my
uncle asked the group at the 3 p.m. presentation,
meaning can we have an honest and open
conversation about race, as it relates to the church,
our communities and our own lives? When he first
raised the question, I can admit I got a bit nervous.
What can I say? What should I say? Am I
comfortable saying what I want or need to say?
How are others going to react to what I or others
are saying?
Race and racism are uncomfortable topics for many
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
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Good Shepherd
Lutheran Church [ELCA]
1489 Laskin Road
Virginia Beach, VA
2345123451-6047
Address Service Requested
A Day of Ashes and Fasting
Wednesday, February 18
Worship Services at
12 Noon and 7 o’clock p.m.
F
ebruary 18 begins the season of Lent this year. Traditionally known as Ash Wednesday, we mark this day with a somber call to self-examination and repentance. In
addition to two opportunities to worship, we ask everyone to consider joining us in a Day
of Fasting.
Since ancient times, fasting has been an act of worship that helps us to focus on the truth:
despite all that we stuff into our lives, it is God, and God alone, who truly gives us life and
sustains us. You are invited to enter into this truth by fasting from a meal or two, breaking
your fast with Holy Communion. If you are unable to go without food for medical reasons,
you may choose to simply restrict what you eat. Afterwards, consider making a special
donation to our Food Pantry as an offering of thankfulness for God’s gifts to you, and in
recognition of the millions in our world whose hunger pains are never really satisfied.
Stewardship
Inspiring a deeper understanding of true giving
February 2015
T
o what is your life committed? For a multitude of people today it could be summed up in one word: money.
People are bowing before the god, mammon. We do this
even though we know we can’t take it with us.
Chuck Swindoll in his book Strengthening Your Grip, gives a delightful illustration of the truth. He tells about
a friend of his who was in need of a
dark suit to wear to a funeral. He had
very little money, so he went to the local thrift shop in search of a bargain.
Much to his amazement, they had a
solid black suit that fit him exactly ...
at a very reasonable price. As he paid
for the suit, he inquired how they could
possibly sell such nice suits so cheaply.
The thrift shop manager smiled and
said that the suits had once been owned
by the local mortuary. They had used
them on deceased people for funerals,
then removed them before the burial.
The man felt a little uncomfortable wearing a suit that had been on
a corpse, but since no one else would
know, and he really did need a suit badly, why not? Everything went fine until
he casually started to put his hands in
the pockets of his new suit. It was then
that he discovered that his pants had
no pockets! And the truth came home
to him. Why would a dead man need
pockets? We leave it all behind.
To what or to whom is your life committed? We have been called to be committed to something that is eternal, that
is ennobling, that is earth-shaking. How
about a commitment to the stewardship
way of life? The person who takes this
step will find other commitments flowing naturally into his or her life. That
person will want to give generously of
his or her time in Christian service. He
or she will look upon the giving of material substance as a privilege.
The question of how much time
should be given to Christian service
must be thought through. Guidance
must be offered concerning the amount
or percentage of one’s money that
should be given for the Lord’s work.
But the basic step is taken when commitment to the stewardship way of
life is made. This means receptivity,
open-mindedness, earnestness, and a
desire to serve. With such an attitude,
the Christian can grow in grace as the
means of grace are offered.
A
s we live from day
to day, we are
investing our time and
talents in various things.
Whatever we are doing
had better be important.
It costs us a day of our
lives. As Christian stewards, do we willingly
volunteer some of our
time and talent to the
work of our church?
(Continued on page 4)
1
Deacon Dave
on stewardship
A
I
t is one thing to say
that we are committed to serving God, and
quite another thing to
demonstrate that with
our pocketbooks. But
the extent to which we
are willing to do that,
reveals whether we are
offering to God that
which costs nothing,
or that which is truly
sacrificial.
challenging issue modern
Christians face is our financial obligation to the work of
God’s church. How much is enough?
How much can we afford? How much
do we want to give? What about tithing? Can we do that?
Abraham’s descendants gave their
first fruits ... their best ... to God. They
gave one-tenth (10%) right off the top.
They honored God first. I want to honor
and thank God for all the blessings bestowed upon me. But does God expect
the same of me as of them? The answer
will differ for each of us. I know that
God wants me to give willingly, with
an open heart. I have no grain, lambs or
bulls to offer. I have limited resources
as a single, working, semi-senior citizen. What can I do?
I can support church activities near
and dear to my heart. I can share my
talents and resources helping others
meet their challenges. I can look upon
tithing as a goal, contributing a little
more to the church each year. I may
not make 10% this year or next year, or
maybe never, but a goal is something
for which to strive.
How can we show God that we are
truly thankful for His gifts to us? Think
about it.
Steward of the Month
Send in the Clowns
Submitted by: Gene, Boynton Beach, FL
M
adeleine Ehrhardt is one of many volunteers at our church in Boynton
Beach, Florida. Yet she is unique in several ways. Now that illness has
forced her into retirement from her numerous commitments, it is time to
take stock of all that she has done. Over the years she has faithfully blazed a trail
of service to our congregation.
Publicly, from her role in our Clown Ministry to her behind-the-scenes work as
a volunteer in the church office, Madeleine was always willing to pitch in. Among
the many, many hats she wore in her involvement in our church activities and committees and projects were her leadership of the Tellers Committee and her service
on the Finance Committee. Those who have worked with her during these years are
quick to mention her smile, her laughter and her great sense of humor. (I think that
she took Philippians 4 as her motto in life: Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say
Rejoice.) We are extremely grateful to Our Lord who sent the gift of Madeleine to
us, and grateful to Madeleine also who for years has shared her time and her many
gifts with us and who is still quick to share a smile or a laugh.
“Steward of the Month” is an exciting way to recognize exemplary stewards. If you are aware of
someone who has exemplified Christian stewardship, please tell us about it at stewardofthemonth.
com. Once a month, one submission will be chosen to be published in Stewardship. In addition,
if your story is chosen, $100 will be given to the church or organization of your choice.
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The Good Steward
Juggling
H
ave you ever seen a juggler?
They’re fun to watch. My
husband has been juggling for
several years. Learning how wasn’t
easy. At first he practiced with rolled
up socks or bean bags instead of balls
because they don’t roll away when
they’re dropped. But after many hours
of practice, he’s become good enough
to talk as he juggles. He doesn’t drop
things if he’s distracted, either.
Jugglers generally start learning this
skill by tossing one bean bag from hand
to hand. They go on from there to two,
and then three bean bags.
In a way, stewardship is like juggling. Some people think that giving
time, talent, and treasure is too difficult. They may know of others in their
church who do, but think, “Oh, they’re
so organized and generous and talented. I’m not like that, so I can’t help as
much.”
It’s true that some people are good
at giving, just as some people are naturally well-coordinated. They start out
with an advantage when they begin to
practice stewardship or learn to juggle.
But giving is a skill that can be developed, just like juggling. It’s up to us to
become the best givers we can be.
I
am Steward over my life. My purpose is to use God’s gifts of time,
talent, and treasure that others can
come to know God through my life. In
other words, I live my religion.
I am Steward to my family, my relatives, my neighbors and my fellow
human everywhere. I give them my
love and share my life and bounty with
them.
steward is defined
as: An administrator
or supervisor; a manager. As people of faith,
we manage what God
has given us. We are
accountable to God for
how we use his gifts. We
have both an individual
and community obligation as stewards. We
need to personally decide how to develop and
commit the abilities and
possessions we have.
We must also respond to
our faith community, the
church, which provides
us with opportunities to
heighten the effect of our
stewardship.
A
I am Steward to my church. I give it
my time, my best thought and talents.
I support it financially. I extend to all
the warmth of my love of God, whether
members, or strangers. I pray that my
church can be the conscience of the
community, encouraging brotherhood,
curbing inhumanity.
I am Steward to my community and
any of the agencies that serve it. I serve
to ensure that the authority it wields is
inspired by God.
I am Steward over my corner of
God’s Earth. I seek to preserve its productivity and beauty for this and future
generations.
First and last, I am a steward. I am
dedicated to a life of service to both
God and humankind, for all of my
days, in everything I do or say. And I
thank God that this is my lot and portion.
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As people of faith, we manage what God has given
us. We are accountable to God for how we use the
gifts we have received.
Continued from page 1...
To what is your life...
Something tragic goes on in the lives
of most of us. It is failure to fulfill life’s
greatest possibilities. And something
grand and glorious could be happening
day by day. It would be the joining of
life to high Christian purposes, which
enrich both those who serve and those
who are blessed with the service rendered.
Real religious faith has to do with
all of life and not with just a fragment
of it. Christianity is more than a creed
to be embraced ... it is a way of life to
be lived. And the living of that life;
the awakening of a person to a world
beyond the world of sense; response
of his or her mind and his or her spirit
to God; this is a part of what we call a
person’s stewardship ... a person’s best
way to fulfillment.
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May not be reproduced without permission.
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