This coming Sunday we celebrate Reformation Day - a day when we remember who we are and how we came to be sitting in a pew or a chair or a bleacher in our place of worship.  Many of us will recall "Faith Alone.  Grace Alone.  Scripture Alone".  Chances are, we'll sing "A Mighty Fortress"  (or someone will have to give a darn good reason why we didn't!).  The word of God will be heard and preached and there's a high likelihood that "justification by grace through faith" will be a theme - spoken or not.

 

As I think about the sermon I'm in the midst of writing and remember all the others I've preached in my past, I find I feel not so much a sense of pride in my church as a sense of home.  I am home in the liturgy and in the church year. I am home in how we understand God's activity in our world and in my life.

It is good to be home.  And I am, I must admit, happy to find that more of the family has been welcomed home more fully. Equally, I am troubled that there are those who feel that welcoming some has somehow meant that they will now need to leave, or are at least thinking about it.  There is no question but that the table is big enough.  It is.  But apparently, as some seats are filled, others may be emptying.

 

And then there are some who feel they haven't been heard, and so they plan or are already making a statement.  They're making it with their money.  Not a new concept, certainly.  Economic sanctions have likely been around since the first time the earliest humans figured out how to trade for goods and services. 

 

But at church we don't buy things with our money.  My hope would be that we don't even fund-raise.  At church, or at least, as people of faith, we are called to be stewards of something not ours.  As people of faith, money isn't really power.  Money is simply something God has given us.  And how we share that money is an expression of our gratitude to God for God's abundant grace.   Not a statement of discontent ... or even of approval.  Rather an expression of gratitude because we are so blessed.

As we move into this season when we are asked to consider how we will support the ministries of our church, I invite you to consider the difference.  Will you be giving TO or FROM?  Even if it doesn't change the amount on the pledge card or check, it absolutely makes a difference in the heart of the giver!

God's peace,
The Rev. Nancy Feniuk Nelson

Bishop's Associate