One of the reasons Jesus was so close to God is that he prayed regularly with God and my hunch is their conversation barely ever stopped.  I imagine that as Jesus healed the sick, walked and talked with the disciples and taught the crowds – he was simultaneously having a quiet conversation with God in the back of his mind and in the depths of his spirit.

On Sunday this thought of John Versteeg helped launch our Stewardship season:

             “In stewardship you don’t begin with money. You begin with God.”

Prayer…having a conversation with God is a focused way of getting God’s priorities straight in our lives, not simply our own. 

The interruptions of late with robocalls and emails during the current political campaign has been relentless.  Add to that all the requests for funding from agencies and organizations during the pandemic – and it is easy to feel overwhelmed.

Here is how Georgia Harkness put it,

“Of all the things the world now desperately needs, none is more needed than an upsurge of vital, God-centered, intelligently grounded prayer.”

Prayer can embody many things and some of our deepest emotions, but ultimately prayer lifts up a sense of hope – hope in God’s future.  If we open ourselves to the power of prayer, it can change us.  It can change us from “Give me, give me…” to “Use me, use me…”  Or in our current context, as one theologian asked,  “Ever wish you were more concerned about the things of God?  Put your money there. The interest will follow!”

 I am thrilled to announce that the Honorary Chair of our Stewardship Committee for the coming year is Ruberta Weaver.  When asked to share a few words, here is what she wrote:

Thank you, Ruberta!  In two weeks, Ruberta will be sharing more about giving to the our beloved church in a brief video…stay tuned…

As we pray for God’s guidance, may we remember we are truly rooted in love…God’s love - and that as God’s people we are growing to give…of ourselves and our resources.  As we pray in this way, let us remember that the answer often presents itself in the form of opportunity. 

 I simply ask that as we enter this season of Stewardship as the Neighborhood Church family, each of us begin with God and prayer - trusting that God can do amazing things through us especially in these challenging times.

In Hope and Gratitude,

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister