"For God so loved the world...He GAVE...!"

October 18, 2014
Friends of Atonement,
            A prayer shawl is wrapped around a dear congregation member.  A bag of food is carried out to a needy family’s car.  Gifts are handed out at a party thrown for expecting mothers we’ve never met.  A bible is handed to a new member family.  A shell necklace is placed around the neck of a first-time visitor.  A child walks out of Sunday school with a craft they put together themselves (ok – the teacher helped). 

            And so it goes, on and on.  Why give so much stuff out?  Why feed people with potlucks and food pantries?  Why pay for the electricity used by groups at our church?  Why be so generous that people might think we’re pushovers?
            Because that’s why we’re here.  Generosity is our job -- not selling stuff or giving but expecting something back, but making a gift of whatever we can to show the world the love of Christ.  This is the lifestyle of the joy-filled Christian.  That most beloved Bible verse John 3:16 gives us the clue – God loved us so much, he GAVE his Son…  without holding back, without a second thought, without regret.  God gave what was most precious to him so that all the world might be saved. 

            A giving God creates a giving community of giving people.  As God’s people, it’s what we’re about.  We live by living out the values of our Savior who gave himself for us.  Through his example and with his help, we give as best we can.  Our world tells us it’s all about taking -- that the one with the biggest pile of money and the most toys at the end of the game wins.  We are led to believe that the worst thing in the world would be for us to give too much to someone who doesn’t deserve it.
            Guess what?   That’s exactly what God did for us.  He gave us everything – his grace, his life, his pardon, his Spirit, his promise, his goodwill and his love.  Though we wish we could say we deserved it even a little bit, the only time that’s true is when we are being like him – giving without limits, with no thoughts of ourselves.

            I am grateful for you – for your faith and willingness to be part of a giving church – for putting on Christ and making your offering a generous sacrifice.  But there are new challenges ahead, and new ministries are being developed to meet those challenges.  A new vision for the next 5 years will be presented at the annual meeting, December 7 after the 10am service.  People are taking on new jobs in the congregation, and because of that, new possibilities are being born.  Thanks to your giving we are not just a giving church – we’re also a growing church.  God’s Spirit is among us and we can see the results taking shape.
            We will spend November preparing for this new vision in our worship together.  Fitzroy Williams, our stewardship team leader, recalled our “God’s Work, Our Hands” Sunday celebration on September 7.  Fitzroy pointed out that our giving works that way too – “It’s God’s gifts, our stewardship!” he said. 

            Since all we have are God’s gifts, we really have nothing to lose.  Since Christ is for us, no one can stand against us (Romans 8:31).  Since it is God’s good “pleasure to give us the kingdom” (Luke 12:32), we can be fearless givers of love, time, care and possessions. This will be the theme of our worship in November – ways God inspires us to live and to give fearlessly:
               November 2                Fearless Living (All Saints Sunday)
               November 9                Fearless Service
               November 16              Fearless Sowing
               November 23              Fearless Giving
                      (Home for Thanksgiving Sunday)
               November 30              “God’s Gifts, Our Stewardship” Sunday

Join me this coming month as we explore God’s generosity and our faithful, fearless response.  As we move toward the season of Thanksgiving, I pray that you are moved, inspired, and stripped of all fear by our great and giving God!
Peace,
Pastor Scott