“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”
Luke 6:38
Beloved of God,
November is a month of Thanksgiving in more ways than one. It begins with our celebration of ALL THE SAINTS on November 6th and the lifting up of their legacy to us in faith. That legacy has been impressed upon me each year as we remember those from our community who have gone on to join the heavenly chorus. Some of those Peace saints have chosen to leave a legacy gift so that ministry through our congregation could continue with strength even though they were no longer present to contribute regular offerings. Some will recall how, on the cusp of our congregation’s 75th Anniversary celebration in 2019, we learned that founding Peace Pastor Luther Anderson and his wife Lilian had left a bequest to Peace in their will. Their generous gift and foresight helped enable us to complete our narthex remodel project on time. Talk about God timing! But more than that, their legacy gift reminded us that building A CULTURE OF GENEROSITY at Peace has been part of our congregation’s DNA from the beginning. (You can read more about the timely gift from the Andersons HERE.)
As we bring our ANNUAL GIVING CAMPAIGN to a conclusion this month, our theme: BUILDING A CULTURE OF GENEROSITY is an invitation to continue the legacy of those Peacefolk who have come before us. But it’s more than that. It’s an opportunity to reflect on the impact the ministries of Peace are making in our lives and the lives of our households now and to envision how—through our intentional choice to grow our own generosity—we can make certain that Christ’s mission through Peace will continue to impact lives within and beyond our doors for years to come.
The MISSION MOMENT speakers during this campaign have each testified to the role that cultivating generosity is playing in their lives. Amazingly, during the last three pandemic years new avenues of generosity have been in evidence at Peace, enabling us to continue ministry with strength and purpose in spite of the pressures the pandemic has brought to bear.
Generosity is more than a concept—it is a way of life we are called to make our own. Not out of guilt. Not because someone is twisting our arm. Not so that we can bargain with God. We cultivate generosity in our lives because we see such generosity reflected in the very design of the universe, in the superabundance of natural world, the life of Him who emptied himself so that we might be filled. In the life we share with other siblings in Christ at Peace.
How will we grow our congregation’s “mission footprint” in 2023? How will we meet the challenges that beset our world while grounding ourselves in the compassion and hope that comes with knowing we are part of the KIN-DOM of God? Generosity will be a crucial ingredient in how all this plays out. Our growth in generosity—multiplied like loaves and fishes—will bring our plans and ideas to fruition. We’ll get there, together.
With you on the Way,
Pastor Erik
What does this mean?