The other day, I quoted from the great Christian theologian Henri Nouwen in the sermon. I actually had several paragraphs in my hand, but I didn’t want to spend the entire message quoting from someone else! Here’s something else Nouwen said on generosity as we prepare for Commitment Sunday this week:
“Jesus counsels: ‘Put your security in God.’ We have to decide whether we want to belong to the world or to God. Our trust, our basic trust, Jesus teaches, has to be in God. As long as our real trust is in money, we cannot be true members of the kingdom. All those questions I asked were simply to help us consider whether we are, perhaps, still putting our security in money. ‘Those who trust in their riches will wither, but the righteous will flourish like green leaves’ (Prov. 11:28). What is the true base of our security?”
- Excerpt From A Spirituality of Fundraising by Henri J. M. Nouwen
When we are clear about our spirituality of giving, then generosity is possible- and that leads to new ministries. On Sunday, we heard from our Dreamcasters, a small group of folks who met me for coffee a couple of times to dream about ministry in 2024. We were charged with discerning opportunities to serve locally, nationally, and internationally. Of course, our congregation is already active in all three areas through existing ministries, and this was not meant to diminish or replace any of them; I want to be clear about that.
After a couple of hours, here’s where we want to invest new energy next year:
• Local- Spring Valley Elementary. Through the initiative of Cynthia Pharr Lee, a new ministry is already being birthed there. Next week, a team from Spring Valley UMC will host a luncheon for teachers and staff. We want to explore deepening the relationship further.
• National- Build an online ministry beyond streaming a worship service. Create opportunities for people to gather online for Bible study, fellowship, and spiritual growth. You probably heard John Wesley said, “The world is my parish;” the internet has unlimited potential to bring the gospel to more people.
• International- We have a relationship with Gibraltar Methodist Church in Sierra Leone, the home church of Johannes Sechyi. Several years ago, Spring Valley sent the congregation choir robes; in exchange, Gibraltar sent the custom tie-dye parament that graced our altar table in worship this month. We want to find new ways to deepen these spiritual friendships next year.
Thank you to the Dreamcasters who invested time and creative energy in this process: Alan and Betsy Willis, Jim Bates, Cheryl Servais, Florence Campbell, and Jim Wright.
This Sunday will be special. It’s Commitment Sunday, where we offer our 2024 financial commitments as an act of worship. Our guest preacher is the Rev. Edlen Cowley, Metro District Superintendent. We will also hear the personal witness of Florence Lewis.
Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow,
Pastor Frank