Dear Friends,

This is the time of year that church programs begin gearing up, at least in the parishes and missions with which I am familiar. In fact, perhaps we should have “Happy New Year” parties in September! I look forward to being among you and experiencing your vital, lively programs in the months to come.

Also at this time of year – related to the rebirth of church programs and the enlivened life of parishes and missions – the subject of stewardship arises. Particularly in the appropriately broad sense of stewardship, a former colleague provided me with a very helpful perspective.

This priest friend had been in a very serious automobile accident some years before I ever met him. He had a long and difficult recovery, beginning at the point that survival was uncertain. Years later – during the time that I knew him – he had difficulty with directions and with some aspects of memory. And yet, even in the midst of this hard time, my friend wrote a pamphlet entitled “Living Thankfully.” He was convinced – and convincing – in the belief that life and everything about living are gifts, and the appropriate way to live in the midst of such gifts is with thanksgiving.

It seems to me that my friend is right. Further, as Christian people who are gifted people, we testify that the source of all gifts is God. We stand, as parts of this marvelous creation, before the One who is Creator. And with that proper perspective on God’s creation and on our place within it, we respond in the only way possible – with thanksgiving.
That position provides us with the appropriate understanding of stewardship – the attitude of gratitude. If we are able to recognize that the source of our gifts is God and if we therefore live our lives thankfully, then the stewardship of our gifts – life, relationships, resources, time, and everything else – becomes a primary priority for us.

Our church stewardship programs, therefore, mean less about raising money for programs and light bills and salaries … and more about providing the opportunity for Christian people to express our thankfulness in tangible ways. I commend your church stewardship programs to you in these terms … and I commend your lives to you, also, with their many opportunities to give thanks to the One who is the source of all our gifts!

Faithfully yours, in Christ,
Charles G. vonRosenberg