A Letter about Gratitude & Giving from Pastor Danielle
Dear Church,
When we gather for dinner in my family, we pray. When my extended family gathers for dinner, we really pray. When my Grandfather is at the head of the table, we really, really pray! When I was a kid, it didn’t matter if we were at home or in public, when it was time to thank God, that is what we did. Complete with song! I remember being embarrassed when I was out at a restaurant with the family, because everyone was looking at us. Noticing, my Grandma told me, Danielle, never be shy about praising God. God is never shy about loving you.
As we prepare for our annual Stewardship Sunday, November 24, including the invitation to pledge our giving to the church, I have been reflecting on my formation of praise and her bold proclamation.
When we think of giving, we often think of giving to make sure the budget for 2020 is covered, and yes, that is certainly true.
But our giving is more than just making the bills. Our giving is an act of praise. It is letting praise of God permeate all areas of our lives – including our finances. It is using our God given gifts to be bold about praising God. In that boldness, those gifts are used so that others might know the never-shy love of God.
And that mission, to invite people to experience and live out God’s love is an urgent one. There are so many people who do not know that God loves them for who they are and who they are becoming. People who have been told (or shown) they are unlovable so many times they walk through life like it is true.
In our bold praising, in our gifts used to proclaim the never – shy love of God, we can be the catalyst for transformation, for freedom, for hope.
That is the work of the church. Please prayerfully consider your Stewardship Pledge for 2020, and how your acts of praise might join with the praise of others to do the work of the church. That is, to help people know the never-ending love of God. Thank you for your prayerful consideration.
Your Sister in Christ,
Pastor Danielle