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My name is Venice Peek and along with Alan Wright, I am serving as Co-Chair of  Ascension's 2014 Stewardship Campaign.  Alan and I, along with members of this year's  Stewardship Committee are priviledged to have been of service to the church in this very important ministry, STEWARDSHIP.   

Likewise, we are grateful to members of the vestry, clergy and staff along with the extra volunteers for their creative input, leadership and support.   But we especially want to recognize our youth with a special “shout out” for their participation and service.

And lastly, I give thanks for the creative words and collective voices of the many people and resources I drew upon to prepare this morning's message.

Bishop Young, at a recent stewardship workshop described Stewardship as the primary work of the church.   It is all we do with all we have received  – as gifts from God.    It is not begging for money.  Period.  Stewardship is the engine which propels the church forward into the world for the work of service we are called us to do as the face, hands and feet of  Jesus Christ.

You have been receiving campaign teasers as bulletin inserts and announcements on the church's website for the past several  weeks; and you should have received the  first of two letters from the Alan and me this past week.  So by now you have probably figured out that this year's theme is centered around GRATITUDE 

Why gratitude?  Because we have so much for which to be grateful and because it makes us more aware of the miracles that are constantly occuring around us – the unexpected joys, surprising coincidences, unexplainable experiences and astounding beauties; and because often we are standing knee-deep in the river of abundance and yet remain thirsty and empty …. for these reasons and many more we chose Embracing God's Gifts in Gratitude, as our theme with  five focus areas:  God's Gifts of People. Creation. Challenges.  His Son and Vision.

The story in this morning's gospel about Jesus' healing of the ten lepers is a good example of Christ's love, mercy and grace;  and how quickly human beings forget all God has done for us.  Nine of the lepers did not go back and thank Jesus for their healing.   But gratitude at the deepest level is more than saying “thank you” Could it be that even though all ten lepers were healed physically, only one had experienced something at a “deeper level” and thus was healed spiritually, as well? 

God placed at the center of His Creation, human beings And as children of God, we come in all shapes, sizes and colors, but for the most part we all have the same basic physical characteristics.  But hear this:  God made one only version of you, with gifts that are unique to you, born of a specific genius.  Like our fingerprint, no one else has quite the combination of gifts that we each have.  Made in the image of Almighty God,  you are a one-of-a-kind expression,  uniquely gifted to make a contribution to the work of Christ. And You are here for a purpose  and part of the overall plan that God is working out –  in everything and everyone.  Paul writes in Corinthians 2:7,  The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others.  Paul didn't say, The Spirit has given some of us, or the Spirit has given a few of us.  No, The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others for our gain and God's glory.  Archbishop Desmond Tutu described it another way:  Do your little bit of good where you are.  For it is those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.

Do you know what your gifts/talents are?  Do you know what God is calling you to do; how  to use your unique genius?  Some gifts come in disguise or hidden from your own sight and you may have to work hard – or sometimes step outside the box, your comfort zone –  to discover your talents, or just wait.  Because God moves in each of our lives in different ways – there is an “appointed time” for each of us, when He will move to offer us the opportunity to use gifts, talents and purpose.

Most often with all that goes on in our own daily lives, with so many people out there with so many problems, we  may feel that we don't have time to get involved with other people and their problems, yet we must.  Maybe we think that if we do not see or hear about the problems they will go away.  They will not.  We cannot consider ourselves free, prosperous, successful or at peace as long as one of our brothers or sisters suffers.  You cannot help everybody, but you can help somebody.  You cannot do everything, but you can do something... using your unique gifts and talents and resources for the work of service Christ has called you to do.

God's Gift of CREATION

The Word of God is both POWERFUL and CREATIVE.   He spoke and the universe appeared! Creation, itself, speaks of God's love of diversity!  Not only is God powerful and creative, He is a gift giver.  His generosity and magnificent handiwork are obvious in how lavishly he bestows on us rainbows, waterfalls, the dazzling beauty of fall and spring colors, the desert, snow-capped mountains, canyons and water (lots of water!).  Our God serves up this beauty in liberal portions and then invites us to partake.

And how have we handled this magnificent gift?  Have we been good stewards of Planet Earth?  (That, in itself, another sermon) But I want to share with you an excerpt from a  letter on Environmental Stewardship issued by the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church in 20 11.  Our human footprint is changing the face of the earth and because we come from earth, it is changing us too.  If we cannot live in harmony with the earth, we will not live in harmony with one another.

Life is extremely uncertain.  There are no guarantees.  In John 16:13, we are told that  In this world we will have tribulation. 

  We are not promised a life of ease, of prosperity, nor of good health – all of the time.    Yet, we are never alone when we are faced with challenges.  In Isaiah 43:2 verse, we are reminded that when we pass through deep waters, God is with us.   Although we may not understand the purposes in the trials we experience, we can trust Him.....because Faith  is believing that God  himself is faithful and can be trusted to keep his promises.

When we accept challenges and adversities and give them to Jesus to do with as He will, we are no longer victims, but people in process, becoming stronger as time goes on.  We come to learn that sometimes our sorrows and losses are blessings in disguise.  

It is easy to get discouraged when things are not going the way we want them to.  When we don't have enough money to pay the bills, when our children do not seem to be turning our the way we expected, when our careers are headed down instead of up, when we are dealing with loss, when we are treated unfairly – how can we help but be discouraged!  Disintergrating relationships are even more discouraging – family, friends, neighbors, business associates and the church.  We want the bonds that hold us together to keep holding.  But trials such as these can refine our faith.  With challenges you are forced out of your comfort zone, but you might gain some amazing tools for growth.  And God is there to meet you in the center of your trials.  God is faithful. God is who he says He is.  

In this busy world, it is far too easy to forget all of the things God has done for us. x But, it is when life seems hard and troubles crowd, then very definitely, you should look for reasons for gratefulness.  Seek diligently for the something to be glad about in every happening. Look for God in your difficult places and discover what He is doing in and through you.   And remember his forever-promises hold true:  I will never leave you, I am always with you.  Do not worry or be anxious about anything. Do not be afraid. 

During Jesus' short, three-year ministry, while here on earth, He did many things.  We are most familiar with the MIRACLES of healing the sick, feeding the multitudes, casting out demons, calming raging seas, raising the dead and overcoming death.   All of these were acts which demonstrate God's power made evident through our weaknesses.

But equally important were his TEACHINGS about relationships – with HIM and with one another.   Revelations 3:20 says God longs to have fellowship with us.  Thus his teachings about about relationship might be summarized as follows:

Question:  So, Why would Jesus lend so much of his teachings about this topic?  Time will not permit me to run down a list of scriptual references, (but if you are interested, I can get these references to you) however, I will share with you one of his teachings about giving and receiving (which is  a “relationship” teaching):     Luke 6:38 –Jesus says If you give you will receive.  Your gifts will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more and running over.

  Where there is no vision, the people perish. (KJV)  Proverbs 29: 18:

 

There are many gifts that our Trinitarian God has given us, five of which we have selected as the centerpiece for this year's Stewardship drive.  But, there is one other gift that God has showered on us that determines how we respond and steward all gifts and  the teachings of Jesus Christ and that is......

God has given us the gift of Free Will, CHOICE.  Even though it is quite clear what God wants us to do,  He leaves the choice up to us and how we will respond.  Don't you find it incredible that God leaves the choice to us?  There are many things we cannot choose   But we each can choose how will use our individual talents and resources with which we have been blessed and how these gifts will be used to manifest God's vision for his people.   

.  Gratitude changes everything.... but most of all it changes us and  it awakens us to God's presence in our lives.  It frees us from fear and worry because it creates a  space within ourselves filled with grace, fear, worry and anxiety.  

And gratitude impacts choice. Because if we live in gratitude, we begin to see things differently and thus make different choices. 

The Big Choice, God leaves to us.  

Creator God, we stand in awe of all that you have made.  Accept, O Lord, our thanks and praise for all you have done for us.   Help us to care wisely for your gifts ;  and grant, O God, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask “What would you have us do?” AMEN