The following excerpts are taken from this past Sunday’s stewardship testimonials given at our morning services. Please prayerfully consider your own gift to the church and return your pledge card on or before Sunday, November 3.

By Maryella Sirmon:

From the word steward we get the word stewardship—the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care…and Christian stewardship includes obedience to God as part of the process. St. Benedict, the father of western monasticism, teaches that obedience done grudgingly or, as he says, with a grumbling heart, is not pleasing to God. I take this to mean we need to carefully and closely examine the how’s and the why’s of our participation in stewardship.

Yes, stewardship means giving money, but stewardship means more than putting something in the plate. It means giving of our time and talent. How? What things should we think about? Just look at the church newsletter. You will definitely find fellowship and opportunity to deepen your walk with Christ, part of what St. Benedict saw as stewardship to yourself, to become the best creation God intended for you.

Even if you’re not led to any of these activities, we can pray…pause our busy lives, rest, open our heart, and simply be with God. Prayer is a priceless form of stewardship. Prayer will make a difference in your life and the life of our church.

The closer we are to God—the more time we spend with Him, however we spend that time, the more our obedience to Him grows, our faith in Him grows, and our love for Him grows, and the less likely we are to suffer from St. Benedict’s “grumbling heart” when we hear the word stewardship.

By Tim DeLong:

We are truly blessed here at St. Paul’s, let us not take it for granted…our wonderful staff, our outreach ministries, our pastoral care teams. Generosity is not just limited to financial means…the time and talent the members of St. Paul’s contribute to those in need and in service of the church are beyond incredible and we are lucky to be part of such a generous and loving community.

As each of you contemplate your own pledges, please take a moment to consider the place St. Paul’s holds in your life. Whether the answer is meaningful due to the people, the ministries and the outreach, the services, clergy, liturgy, music, or any other reasons, think about not only the place it is now but the place you would like it to be for the future. It is our responsibility to ensure the current status of the church is not only maintained annually but is set up to thrive for years to come.

The present state of St. Paul’s shows the significant impact past support has made. I hope through the act of stewardship you will find, as I have, a personal reward and connection to God through your generosity and appreciate the value of giving as an act of worship.