Exploring Stewardship:
From the Desk of Pastor David
Wednesday, Nov 10, 2021
To say that we’ve been through one of the biggest trials of our lives these past eighteen months is an understatement. I’ve heard people say, “What just happened?”
I think the opening paragraph of the Charles Dickens novel, ‘“A Tale of Two Cities” sums it up:
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the age of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven.
The quote from Dickens reflects how the church has been feeling lately, but now it’s time to pick ourselves up.
In my sermon last Sunday I said, “like Lazarus, we have to step out of the cave” and face our future. It will be different, but with God’s help it can and will be good.
Our Stewardship program is one way to help us create a future for our church, our families, and our community. The theme is, “Our Gifts Build Justice”, because we believe that a community of justice will be a community of peace and a place worth living.
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
Rev. Dr. Faith Fowler, a good friend of our church from Cass Community Social Services, kicks off our Justice theme during worship this Sunday, November 14th at 10 a.m.
The following week we have a great lineup of speakers from our community as we look at Racial Justice. They will share, “I Am Your Neighbor.”
The third and final installment will take us to Advent, the Holy family and baby Jesus, whose life started with such promise and ended up in those early years in a refugee flight to Egypt.
I encourage you to believe that we can step out as God’s people and create something even better than we had before, and even have now.
We are called to be good stewards - of God’s people, God’s creation, and of the gifts we are given.
With that in mind, we will:
Love our neighbors by expanding our understanding of race and welcoming migrants as a church that values diversity and inclusion.
Increase our contribution to and care of God’s creation around us with the formation of a new environmental justice team.
Continue to strengthen our community and serve families through existing programs and partnerships such as Dearborn Toy Library, and through our children, youth and young adult ministries.
Photo by John Cameron on Unsplash
To support these efforts, we will wisely use the gifts God has given us - talent, time, and financial resources, to build a more just community.
Share your commitment to building justice through faith at Dearborn First UMC.
Complete the online pledge form by Sunday, November 28, found on our giving web page.
As you determine your stewardship pledge for 2022 we ask you to consider how much you want to commit yourself to creating a church and society that is worth living in, for future generations.
Yours faithfully,
Pastor David
Rick Anderson, Chairperson - Finance and Stewardship
