From Our Pastor: 26th Sunday In Ordinary Time
This weekend, Jesus calls us to act upon what we state we believe. God makes it abundantly clear, especially in Ezekiel, that we can turn back to Him but if we refuse and we stay in our sin and refuse his grace, that death is eternal. Jesus warns us to act upon how He calls us to live. It’s really that simple. If we say we’re going to follow him that must call us to action. Faith moves us to love and love calls us out of ourselves.
This last weekend we heard wonderful witness testimonies of stewardship. Thank you to Liz Gengenbacher, Tom Arnold, Mike Zanger, and Isaac Hinkamper for their wonderful words of inspiration. The many comments that I’ve heard on each of your testimonies showed us how God draws us into a greater relationship with him and how we can draw others into knowing him by letting them know how God works in our lives. It takes great courage to do this! Thank you!
Please do not forget to take the time to fill out your commitment card. Yes, I know we do this every year, but it is a good thing to recheck ourselves and how we are giving of ourselves to the Lord for what he gives to us. You cannot out give the Lord.
It may be time to add a new ministry to your list. It may be time to relook at your giving and how God is calling to at least a 10% tithe of our finances (6% to the church, 4% to the school, diocese, and other charitable organizations.) You cannot out give God.
I remember asking one of our parishioners who was so generous in my last assignment how he came up with what he was giving, and he said he didn’t give 10% as it was actually substantially more. His response was, “I learned you can’t out give the Lord a long time ago. I don’t know how it works, but no matter how much I continue to give, God continues to bless me more abundantly. When I see a need I give to it, but only after I give to the parish first.” Along the way, he had a major disagreement with one of the administrators of the parish, and they were not very kind to him, but his giving never changed. He told me, “I don’t give for him, I give for how God has given me so much.” I was just always so impressed with this wonderful man, God rest his soul.
It may be time to look at how you can pray more often and enter into this relationship with God more intimately. There are so many ways to respond to stewardship of what God has given you. You all have so much to offer because God has abundantly blessed you. Look to see how you can respond to his gift by filling out this commitment card which is a tool of evaluation of our stewardship.
You can fill out the card we sent you and return it in the basket this weekend and next weekend, or you can turn it into the parish office. If you didn’t receive a card or received a card and would rather fill it out online, it is available there and very quick, easy, and accessible.
Please do not let this opportunity of renewal pass by. Prayerfully consider how God is calling you to greater stewardship of the abundance that he has given to us, as well as a greater relationship with you.
This year we are going to have the blessing of pets AFTER the feast of St. Francis so that we don’t compete with the Prayer chain for life, which we ALL should be out standing, praying, witnessing, and supporting this effort Sunday, October 1 from 2:30-3:30 on Broadway between 14th and 18th. We need to have greater representation from St. Francis this year! I am there every year, come join me! Bring a rosary, some water, and if you can’t stand that long, a chair. The Feast of St. Francis falls in the middle of the week so we can bless pets near the feast day either weekend, so we will October 8 at 5:30 p.m.! Come join us and bring your pets of all sorts!
-Rev. Steven Arisman