Sunday, September 15, 2019

Embracing our Mission and Living into the Future

Rev. Mary Beth Morgan, preaching
2 Corinthians 8:7-15

Last Sunday, I was fortunate to spend time in our Youth Sunday School Class. When I arrived, the group was engaged in a lively conversation about ecosystems, which appeared to connect with a scripture passage that our youth director, Rodney, introduced about community. I was inspired by the insights our youth shared about the interconnectedness of all living things, current threats to our ecosystems, and things they (and we) need to be doing now to care for creation and limit the effects of climate change for current and future generations.

That led me to think about this coming Sunday when we will be invited to reflect upon stewardship in our own lives. Our call to be stewards, as people of faith, is rooted in this deeper sense of interconnectedness with one another and the whole of God’s creation. In this season, that often includes an invitation to consider how we might share our gifts of time, talents and financial resources in the year ahead, as one response to that call.

Long ago, the apostle Paul wrote a letter to the congregation of the church in Corinth. As part of their mission, Paul asked that they share some of their resources with another congregation that was in great need (2 Corinthians 8:1-15). He invited them to embrace the sense of koinonia, living in spiritual communion and partnership with one another, and as a community in which each person is recognized as having something essential and unique to share. In the context of our time and place, how might we live in spiritual communion, embrace our call to stewardship and our mission as disciples of Jesus Christ, and live into the future?

There are a number of special opportunities and ways to connect this Sunday:

  • Breakfast in Garton Hall anytime between 9-10:15am

  • New Member Class at 9:30am in Room 15

  • Children’s Sunday School Open House from 10-10:25am;

  • Great music in worship with a Jazz Quartet led by IU Jazz professor Pat Harbison, and the Care Choir led by Heather Narducci

Everyone is invited to a Stewardship Lunch after worship in Garton Hall! Our Stewardship Team will lead us a brief update and celebration of the ministry and mission of St. Mark's, and conversation about needs and possibilities for the year ahead.

If you have been a part of the St. Mark’s community for decades, or are coming for the first time, we look forward to seeing you on Sunday!