Gifted to Serve

If you were not here last week, we started started a two week Time and Talent Initiative called Step Up. We did a similar thing in regards to money last year to raise funds for our new building. If you drive by White and Byhalia you can see the fruit of that exploration of God’s Word on the whole matter of the stewardship of our money.God is not just about money, He is Lord of all our gifts and resources and so we are asking people to examine their hearts and lives. We are asking them to look at their time and talent and then to ask this question: "In light of how generous God has been to me, how generous can I be with my time and talent in this community of faith called St. Patrick?” Everything you own is a gift God has loaned to you for you to steward. St. Paul the apostle says it like this to the Corinthian church, “What do you have that you haven’t received?” Everyone of us must live out of a deep sense of indebtedness to God and with a deep sense of gratitude, or we simply do not get the gospel.So this week we are asking each of you to think about your time, talents, and gifts and for the next year pray about where God wants you to step up to serve the body of Christ and all the new friends we will meet in this new phase of ministry. The church is a body and it will take all of us to bless our friends who we invite, and to be Jesus to the people God will bring our way.So, this Sunday bring your Step Up card with your pledge and commitment of how and where you can serve (there will be plenty of extras at the church). We will all bring these cards to the front and place them on the communion table as we give ourselves to Jesus again.Oh, and pardon the mess and all the boxes when you come into worship on Sunday, it is only 500 chairs. Also bring a flash light if you plan to sit in the back on either side of the church, we are not fixing the lighting! ONLY TWO MORE SUNDAYS!!!!Blessing,Jim