STEWARDSHIP: A CHOICE OF THE HEART

On this Stewardship Sunday we are invited to renew our commitment to being good stewards of what has been entrusted to us by God.  The stewardship way of life acknowledges that all that we have and all that we are belongs to God, it is all a gift.  As disciples of Jesus, we are called to be good stewards, being grateful for and caring for the gifts we have been given.

This is how Jesus lived.  He knew that he belonged to God his Father.  He acknowledged all that he had as a gift and he chose to take care of those gifts.

Stewardship is all about a choice of the heart to let our lives be driven by gratitude and caring for all that we have.  Put another way, stewardship is what we do after we say “I believe.”

As good stewards we choose to live every day from a place of gratitude. For us, gratitude wins out over the sometimes more logical options of anger, bitterness, fear or anxiety.    Stewardship means that we are to live with responsibility and accountability for all that we have because it is all God’s and our choices affect the lives of others. As good stewards, we are to generously share from the substance of what we have, not from what is left over or extra.  Finally, good stewards return to the Lord with increase.  We do not just maintain what we have. We build on our gifts and talents, leaving the world a better place because we were here.

As the people of Christ Cathedral Parish, you have clearly demonstrated your choice of the heart to be good stewards.  In the midst of these challenging and sometimes difficult months of our transformation into Christ Cathedral Parish, you have been faithful to all aspects of the life of a good steward.  We are inspired by your sense of responsibility for who we now are as a parish. Your generosity is greater than ever. Your desire to build upon the foundations of our past is obvious through your participation and the quality of your involvement.

We rely on your continuing commitment to being good stewards. We are profoundly grateful for this choice of the heart that you have made.