From the pastor….
Love, Welcoming Community, Leadership, Fun/Joy, Faith
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Galatians 5:22
Abundance—comes from the word abundant, which means: present in great quality, more than adequate, as in, we are richly supplied by God. We are overflowing in fullness and generosity.
When we look at our abundance, and give out of our abundance, we don’t need to wring our hands, we need to offer thanksgiving. If we all would give to God out of our abundance, we wouldn’t need to worry. God is always there, with more than we will ever need.
We are to care for the very gift of life itself, beginning with our blessings and talents, emotions and abilities. When we share out of that abundance we are living as God has called us to live.
A few years back, in a congregation that I was working with, I was teaching about SARA (Sharing Americas Resources Abroad) and the children that were being helped. One of the children had been saving her money that she earned doing odd jobs, her allowance, and birthday money to buy a new bike, but after hearing about SARA’S children, she took all the money she had saved, the coins, the dollars, and brought it into church, placed it in the offering plate with a note that said, please give to SARA so the children can have toys and shoes. She gave out of her abundance.
Another child, from a Central American country, learned of a tornado that had gone through an area that had destroyed a church. This young child had some coins and sent them off to the church so it could be rebuilt. He gave out of his abundance.
Where God’s Spirit is, we give out of abundance and when we do that, we can’t wring our hands…we have to praise God!
Abundance resonates from the inside out. Being generous people depends on the way we look at life. We give as we live, out of a sense of who we are and what we believe to be true. Praising God gives honor to something we cherish. Giving praise is what is faithful and effective giving is all about.
When we become aware of our overflowing abundance which God showers upon is, we then become grateful people, knowing God’s blessings in our lives.
When we give out of our abundance, we praise God!
I can hardly believe that a year ago June 29, I was here preaching the candidating sermon, for my call to begin at Grace UCC. The search committee had worked hard, and listened to God’s spirit and worked out of the abundance of gifts that they shared. This year, on June 29, I will be at General Synod of the United Church of Christ, listening, learning, and voting on the call of our new General Minister and President of the UCC, The Rev. John C. Dorhauer. He will lead and share out of his abundance from God. What a blessing we have received from God.
This summer watch for fun filled activities, for all ages: game time, food time, worship time, fun joy-filled times. We have much, so let us use our abundance and help others, let us share our gifts of time and talent and treasure with our church family, with our community and with our world.
Sharing Gods abundance is so much fun!!!
Giving out of my abundance, Pastor Mindy