Dear Church,
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust
destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures
in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break
in and steal.1 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (Matthew 6:19-21).
In biblical terms ‘stewards’ are people who live in a place they do not own, making full use of, and taking care of things that do not belong to them. We live in this world as stewards of God who entrusts us with caring for all that God so generously gives us including our church building, our congregation and all God’s people.
Mark Powell writes in Giving to God: The Bible’s Good News about Living a Generous Life, “The offering is an act of worship… We are invited to put money in the offering plate on Sunday morning not because the church needs our money but because we want and need to give it. We have a spiritual need to worship God and through our offerings we are able to express our love and devotion for God in a way that is simple and sincere. The motivation of the giver is what counts most, not the size of the gift or degree of benefit to the recipient.”
Your offering to Lynnhurst United Church of Christ is first a Gift of Love. When people are filled with the goodness and love of God, they naturally want to give something to God. Your offering to this congregation is also Gift of Thanks. We are each truly blessed: we are blessed to live in this nation, we are blessed to live in Louisville or Kentuckiana. We are blessed by family and friends and this faith community. Take a moment to name three blessings in your life, then take a moment to thank God for those blessings.
This Stewardship season I invite you to prayerfully consider both your pledge card and your Time and Talent form as we care and share for the future of Lynnhurst United Church of Christ.
Blessings on the journey,