11/12/23 Sermon
We’re beginning Stewardship season in the church this Sunday. In your bulletin, you’ll see pledge cards and you should be receiving some mailings about it. Next week, we are going to consecrate our pledges here in worship - meaning we’re going to hand them in and bless them to the service of God. I’ve been noticing that in some of the clergy groups I’m a part of some of my colleagues and friends are worried about their stewardship drives in their churches this year. It’s amazing to me that so many of my minister friends are facing precarious situations where the future of their churches hang in the balance of this year’s Stewardship campaign. So, in thinking about it I decided that I was going to give the greatest Stewardship sermon ever given this morning.
The problem is I couldn’t come up with anything. I mean nothing. So, I did what any responsible minister does this day in age. I googled great Stewardship stories thinking that I would find something amazing to share with you. There were some good stories, but they all seemed, I don’t know, fake or not heart-felt for me to share them. And I realized that it’s just really hard to ask for things like money in church. The truth is, sometimes I think we spend too much time worrying about money and the finances. I know why we do but I don’t know if it’s entirely helpful.
I really like this passage from Acts because I think it really speaks about faith in action to people like us. Everyone trusted everyone else in this passage and just by simple stewardship, by simple awareness of what everyone needed, everything was taken care of. They pooled their resources together to make sure that things got done and were taken care of. And everyone’s needs were met.
I think that’s important to point out. The scripture doesn’t say that everybody got what they wanted. That would be an entirely different story. I’m willing to bet that no one in the early church that Acts is talking about here got everything they wanted. And that’s because they understood something really important. They understood that sometimes, if not most of the time, the needs of the many outweigh the wants of a few.
That may be the way to understand what good stewardship really is. Stewardship is the understanding that the needs of the community are more important than what any one group or any one person wants sometimes. And then working towards making sure that those needs are met. To say that we’re a church that practices good stewardship is to say that we make sure that everyone has what they need. Or that all our ministries have what they need to be successful.
You know that’s an understanding of stewardship I can get behind. Partly because it recognizes that there’s more to being good stewards than money. Many of us are lucky enough to have money that we can give to the church. Some of us don’t have the money to give. But we have time we can give. Or skills we can give. Or we can come here and support the church by just showing up to the various functions. Coming to church on Sunday and staying for Fellowship hour and eating cheese and crackers and baked goods is an act of stewardship. Because when you do that, you are actually giving something to the church. The church becomes richer because you are here.
Listen, I don’t know why but to me the choir has sounded AWESOME this year. They sound even better than last year. They give something amazing to this church by being here on Sunday. That’s good stewardship. Right now, our Sunday school teachers take time out and miss worship to help raise our children in the faith and love of Jesus. THAT’s good stewardship. Several people give of their time throughout the week to make sure our building is in good shape and operational - people like Bob Rundell, Chris Schalmo, and Robert Person among others, that’s good stewardship.
And think of all the meals that have been provided out of this church with Pads and the good work our deacons do. How many of you have served as deacons or elders or on different committees? Or the work that goes into the adult forum and the different education opportunities we have throughout the year. Or just on Sunday? How many of you step up to be liturgist and ushers or to help out with Fellowship hour? I think of Tami and rummage and how many hands go into making that possible. And the fellowship and friendship that’s made and shared during that time. All good stewardship. There are so many examples of good ministry here supported by good people who are faithful stewards. People like you, who give up wants to help with the needs of others.
I think of the great chorus of witnesses who got us through COVID here and transitioning from the retirement of David Perkins through the work David Hogue took you through to my arrival here. The work of the PNC, the Visioning team, and the strategic planning you did before I arrived.
And then we can talk about all the things we don’t see people doing for one another. Visiting each other when they’re sick. Reaching out in friendship to newer people or to people who’ve been here a long time that they haven’t gotten to know yet. Calls of concern. Meals made out of love. Cookies to a minister who is now trying to lose weight again. Affirmations, encouragement, love, prayers. Taking time out for one another and for people outside of this room. That’s good stewardship.
No, I feel pretty lucky because while we aren’t perfect Stewards if we sit back and really think about it, we’re working at being good stewards here. It might be that we don’t always get what we want, but for the most part we are finding ways of meeting people’s needs. And really, after hearing my friends struggles in ministry, what more can really be asked?
I may never figure out the greatest Stewardship sermon ever. I may never have words that can inspire you, who have already given so much to this church, to give more. But maybe that isn’t what’s really needed. Because maybe Luke already wrote the greatest stewardship sermon when he wrote this in Acts:
Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”). He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
SO maybe I can be your Barnabas which means “son of encouragement” and thank you for the wonderful job you do here and simply encourage you to keep it up. Your stewardship in the past has made HPPC the wonderful church family it is today. Your giving has made the ministry of this church extremely strong and touches people you don’t even know. And your continued support of your time, of your financial gifts, of your skills, of your prayers, of your hopes, of your dreams, and of your hands will ensure that we will continue to be a strong witness to Jesus Christ in Highland Park for years to come.
So, as you consider your giving and your pledges this week and the months to come, let me say from the bottom of my heart I thank you for all that you give and am personally grateful for all that you do here to make the HPPC family a strong family of stewardship that seeks to meet the needs of those who need it the most.