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Stewardship
I grew up unchurched, and read my way into faith in Christ through C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. In high school, I went to Mass in a Roman Catholic church near by on weekdays. If I heard a sermon about money, I don't remember it. Once in a while I put a dollar in the plate. At nineteen I had a call to be a priest. At twenty-one I was baptized. At twenty-two I went to seminary. No one ever talked about money in seminary. My home parish talked about money once a year. The senior warden would stand up, present the budget, and urge everyone to give "a fair share." The second year I heard the pitch, I pledged $200. I thought that was generous; I was young and waitressing to pay my bills.
The year I was ordained a deacon, in my first church, October arrived. The rector told me that I would do the preaching on stewardship; "it would be good for you." I sighed. I opened my Bible and concordances. I read about tithing in Deuteronomy, and thought, "Well, that is the Old Testament." I skipped over the prophets and advanced to the gospels where I found that the Lord Jesus talked about money a lot.
He warned that I could not serve God and money. He said that not sharing one's riches destroys the soul. I flipped forward, hoping St. Paul was more reasonable. St. Paul said that giving came from gratitude and talked about giving sacrificially with joy. I winced. I gave from guilt, as little as I could.
How could I preach about stewardship and generosity while I
giving God less than 1% of my income? I was a hypocrite. I stepped into the pulpit and admitted that I did not tithe. I said that giving back to God 10% of my income seemed to be the direction of the Old Testament and the assumption from where a Christian
starts
in the New. I still quivered at the idea of giving more than 10%.
That year, I quadrupled my pledge. It turned out I could give more than $1000 a year and like it. It was not even 5%, but it was a start toward proportional giving. It took years before I managed to give 10% of my income. Learning the discipline of stewardship, I began to want to make "God's kingdom come" into the world with my thanks to Him. I wanted to give to my parish and to the wider world. I do both now. Giving 10% helps me to be freer as a follower of Christ. I don't miss it nor wish I gave less.
I have lots of boxes in the garage. God and my husband seem united in asking me to get rid of them. I am cautious. I might need them someday. There is nothing about cardboard boxes in the Scriptures.
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The Last Sunday after Pentecost
November 20, 2016
8:00 & 10:30 a.m.
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Readings
Jeremiah 23:1-6
Canticle 16
Colossians 1:11-20
Luke 23:33-43
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Altar Flowers
The Altar Flowers for Sunday, November 20, 2016, are given to the Glory of God and in honor of their Twenty-Fifth Wedding Anniversary by Dennis and Monica Gooding.
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Altar Servers
8:00 a.m.
Assisting Priest, The Reverend Stephen J. Waller
Lector: Readings & Prayers, Phyllis Slocum
10:30 a.m.
Lay Eucharistic Minister, Dan Donalson
Lector: Readings & Prayers, Sue Sailer
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Last Sunday after Pentecost
November 20, 2016, Year C, Proper 29
8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist (Spoken)
Fellowship following the service in the Parish Hall
9:15 a.m. Sunday School
9:15 a.m. Adult Forum - Part 3 of 4 History of Episcopal Church
9:30 a.m. Choir Rehearsal
10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist (Music with Choir)
Fellowship following the service in the Parish Hall
12:15 p.m. Vestry
12:30 p.m. Rhema Gospel Church
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Please Wear Your Name Badge
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Open after all services and by appointment.
Located in the building adjacent to the sanctuary.
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Gift Shop Committee
The Gift Shop Committee will meet at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 19. They will be putting out items for Advent the Christmas Season.
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Blue Christmas
Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? Don't forget to pick up something for Blue Christmas -- our Outreach for December. Every Christmas the Irving Fire and Police Departments collect gift for Irving children aged infant to 16. They are especially in need of items for teenage girls, 12 - 16, since they typically run out of those. Please bring your unwrapped gifts to the church for pick-up on Sunday, December 11th so Roger and his firefighting cohorts can pick them up.
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Friday November 18 2016
7:30 p.m. Berea Interdenominational Bible Study Class
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Monday, November
21, 2016
6:30 p.m. Augustine Chapter SLAA meeting in the Conference Room
7:00 p.m. Toastmasters meeting in the Parish Hall
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Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Tuesday Morning Bible Study will not meet this week
6:30 p.m. Spiritual Cinema
7:15 p.m. ECR Choir Rehearses
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Tuesday Morning Bible Study
The Tuesday Morning Bible Study begins Advent 2016 with readings of populist uprisings, wars, rape, pillage, and domestic abuse! Come see November 29
as we begin looking at the Old Testament books of Samuel and the books of Kings. From 10 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. weekly in the conference room. Join us for coffee, study, good conversation, and-maybe-insights into the world situation today!
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Wednesday, November 23, 2016
6:30 p.m. Thanksgiving Holy Eucharist
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Thursday, November 24, 2016
Thanksgiving Day, Church Office Closed
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Friday November 25 2016
Church Office Closed
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Sunday, November 27, 2016
The Irving Chorale will rehearse in the Parish Hall at 4:00 p.m.
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Irving Cares Food Pantry
The most needed items are:
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Canned Meals
(Chili, Stew, and Soups)
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Soap, Shampoo, Deodorant and Toilet Paper).
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Please leave your contributions in the brown basket at the end of the credenza.
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Altar Flowers & Dedication of Bread and Wine
To sign up for Altar Flowers and/or Dedication of Bread Wine there is a book on the credenza at the back of the church.
While we do not have flowers on the Altar during Advent, Christmas and Lent, you can make a Dedication of Bread and Wine any Sunday during the year.
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