{"id":2934,"date":"2023-03-29T15:45:07","date_gmt":"2023-03-29T19:45:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allsaintstampa.org\/Wordpress\/?page_id=2934"},"modified":"2024-10-01T14:16:00","modified_gmt":"2024-10-01T18:16:00","slug":"stewardship-news","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/allsaintstampa.org\/Wordpress\/stewardship-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Stewardship News"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Sept 2024<\/strong><\/h3>

\u201cBecause of God\u2019s Great Mercy\u201d is the title of our stewardship emphasis this year.\u00a0\u00a0The scriptural focus of our stewardship program is Galatians 6:9-10:<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cSo let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.\u201d<\/p>

We begin by celebrating all that God has done for us in Christ Jesus our Lord. \u201cBecause of God\u2019s Great Mercy,\u201d God sent Jesus into the world that whosoever believes in him might have the promise of forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life.<\/p>

Because of God\u2019s great mercy, we \u201cwill not grow weary in doing what is right.\u201d Because of God\u2019s great mercy, we\u00a0\u201cwill work for the good of all.\u201d<\/p>

In the weeks ahead, we will also consider how generous giving of our time, talents, resources are an important part of every Christian\u2019s life, and how our combined generosity can make even greater things possible through our congregation.<\/p>

We will figure out together how our generosity, participation, and witnessing to All Saints congregation is an important part of our Christian faith, and how our congregation uses our offerings and tithes to do God\u2019s work within the congregation\u2019s walls, in our community, and around the world.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

For All Saints Lutheran Church to do the mission and ministry that we have determined God calls us to do, we will be asked to consider stepping forward and increasing our giving to All Saints by at least \u00bd of 1% of our household income. It is a small step in the direction of tithing (10%), or moving beyond tithing, but it is a most important step for all of us as a congregation to consider.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

Our stewardship program, \u201cBecause of God\u2019s Great Mercy,\u201d will use e-mails, bulletin inserts, and pre-service (temple talks) talks in worship to share information with you.\u00a0\u00a0Please make a special effort to watch for material during this important time in our
congregation\u2019s life.<\/p>

In Christ,
Roger Lehrer
Stewardship Team Leader<\/p>

October 2023<\/h3>

Stewardship: God\u2019s Blessings and Generosity<\/strong><\/p>

In response to God\u2019s grace, we have a personal commitment to be generous to the Lord with our time, talents, knowledge &amp; resources, to sustain and grow our congregation.\u00a0 How often do we really sit back and think about how truly blessed we are with the generous gifts of love, relationships, family, happiness, and success that the Lord our God has given us.<\/p>

Oftentimes, God\u2019s gifts manifest themselves in challenges and struggles that he pulls us through. Moreover, why did God place me in the family of \u201cAll Saints Lutheran Church?\u201d Do I have a purpose or role to play in its success?<\/p>

Sometimes we know the answer, other times we continue to search until God reveals the answer to us. And when he does, will you, with the
help of the Holy Spirit, respond with a generous and faithful heart?<\/p>

After over a year without a permanent pastor, our congregation is on the cusp of finding a new pastor to lead us. After all the struggles and soul searching our congregation has endured, we\u2019ve finally scraped enough finances together in which to make a call for a pastor. But this doesn\u2019t mean we can rest on our laurels. We will need you more than ever to maintain the spirit and momentum of generosity going into next year and beyond.
\u201cWhere your treasure is, there your heart will be also<\/em>\u201d (Matthew 6:21).<\/p>

Autumn remains a time of beginnings and renewal in the life of All Saints Church, even as the Earth appears to be getting crazier and divided and wants to go out in the blaze of glory. It remains a good time to talk about stewardship. But instead of \u201ccampaigns\u201d or even \u201cappeals,\u201d I think, the community of Christ should call them \u201cinvitations to renewed generosity.\u201d After all, our agrarian ancestors were really deciding how to use God\u2019s generous harvest to multiply that
generosity through their faith communities. The same remains true for us.<\/p>

Our ancient Christian ancestors would do this cool thing at this time of year. As their last fields were gathered, they\u2019d all come together to raise up the final sheaf and they\u2019d process it back into town, giving thanks and praise to God that He was generous again that year. They\u2019d celebrate the generosity of the Divine, both in the harvest and through the gift of Christ for the world. They\u2019d do as that old hymn in so many hymnals sing, \u201c\u2026come rejoicing, bringing in the
sheaves.\u201d<\/p>

I pray that through our Stewardship petition, you see it as an \u201cinvitation to renewed generosity,\u201d and as a scene of rejoicing for you and our congregational community. As we\u2019re gathered around the generous, crucified and risen One, we can bring in the collective sheaves to continue changing lives in this world. \u201cCome rejoicing, Beloved, bringing in the generous gifts God has given you!\u201d
Peace Be With You \u2013 Roger Lehrer<\/p>

August 2023<\/h3>

Stewardship: SHARING GOD\u2019S BLESSINGS and HIS TREASURES HE HAS GIVEN US!<\/strong><\/p>

In response to God\u2019s grace, we have a personal commitment to be generous to the Lord with our time, talents, knowledge & resources, to sustain and grow our congregation.<\/span><\/p>

As we\u2019ve heard at recent church meetings, the coming year will be met with wonderful challenges and expectations.\u00a0 Our church is gaining new members, albeit slowly.\u00a0 As we approach the coming year, I ask all of us to witness three things: God\u2019s Story, Your Story, and our Neighbors Story.\u00a0 These are personal stories that touch each of us differently: emotionally, spiritually, and physically.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

In preparation for the fall roll-out of our Stewardship agenda, I\u2019d like you to consider a few principles I learned about in a little book called \u201cThe Treasure Principles \u2013 Unlocking the secret to joyful giving\u201d, by Randy Alcorn. I admit these may require a bit of recalibration of our minds, but as Christians we know in our hearts these principles are what the Lord asks of us.\u00a0 I\u2019ve captured his main points below.<\/span><\/p>

#1. God owns everything; we are his manager of everything that we possess.\u00a0 First and fore-most we give to God; before anything else, giving is an act of worship.<\/span><\/p>

#2. Our hearts always go where we put our money.\u00a0 God\u2019s looking for disciples immersed in the causes we give to.\u00a0 He wants people so filled with a vision for eternity that we wouldn\u2019t dream of not investing our money, time, and prayers where they will matter most.<\/span><\/p>

#3. Heaven, not earth, is my home.\u00a0 We tend\/choose to store treasure on where we think our home is.\u00a0 We must change the way we think and live.\u00a0 We can\u2019t take earthly treasures with us, but we can send treasures ahead through giving.<\/span><\/p>

#4. We should not live for the dot but for the line.\u00a0 We can keep earthly treasures for the moment and derive temporary enjoyment from them.\u00a0 But if we give them away, we\u2019ll enjoy eternal treasures that will never be taken from us.<\/span><\/p>

#5. Giving is the only antidote to materialism.\u00a0 Giving doesn\u2019t strip me of vested interests, rather it shifts my vested interests from earth to heaven \u2013 from self to God.\u00a0 Time, wisdom, and expertise are wonderful gifts.\u00a0 Giving, breaks affluence\u2019s fever.\u00a0 Giving breaks us free from the gravitational hold of money and possessions.\u00a0 Giving shifts us to a new center of gravity \u2013 Heaven!<\/span><\/p>

And last but not least:<\/span><\/p>

#6. God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving.\u00a0 God comes right out and tells us why he gives us more money than we need.\u00a0 Not to find more ways to spend it; but rather so we can give \u2013 generously.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

After internalizing these principles, it has helped me better understand the depth to which I\u2019m capable of giving of my time, energy, and money. \u00a0 I pray you will also look within, to also free your heart to the generosity the Lord has given you for eternal life in heaven.<\/span><\/p>

Peace Be With You \u2013 Roger Lehrer<\/span><\/p>

May 2023<\/h3>

Stewardship: Generosity as an expression of faith.<\/strong><\/p>

In response to God\u2019s grace, we have a personal commitment to be generous to the lord with our time, talents, knowledge & resources, in order to sustain and grow our congregation.<\/p>

As Lutheran\u2019s, we often see our response to God\u2019s grace as generosity toward one another and as an expression of our own faith. A faith born from our own story; our own experiences that God instilled in each of us. We\u2019re each unique, like a fingerprint, in how the lord loved and protected us; saved and taught us; guided and molded us; challenged us; and gifted us with his grace throughout our lives. Thus, making us into who we are today. Every day we should be thinking of ways to return what we have been given.<\/p>

Generosity is a virtue of giving good things often freely. Things can be given as gifts or money or it can be given of oneself, through hospitality, emotional support, or volunteer services. Most importantly, generosity must be taught, learned, and practiced – recognizing it\u2019s in our own self-interest, and very rewarding.<\/p>

As I said, generosity comes in many ways. Shaped by our own past and current experiences. Experiences influenced by community such as our parents, family members, friends, neighbors, and our faith community (church); well-being such as health and finances which we all struggle with; habits and making ourselves available and helping others; and by beliefs, the putting of faith and trust in God. I learned that 89% of Christians are grateful for God\u2019s grace.<\/p>

In moving ahead, we must depend on each other, we can\u2019t do Generosity or life alone, or left to only a few people. To sustain and grow we must collaborate (many hands make work easy, and success come quickly); we must cultivate our generosity through opportunities to give, learning from the actions of others, volunteering, and listening to develop knowledge and best practices. We should acknowledge and lift each other up by sharing our stories with each other and\/or neighbors and provide support and teach through example.<\/p>

In closing I want to share my father\u2019s favorite verse (and now mine) – Micah 6:8. “He has showed you, O Man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” God has entrusted this Holy Church to us! How are we going to handle it?<\/p>

Peace Be With You – Roger Lehrer<\/p>

Feb 2023<\/h3>

STEWARDSHIP: A PERSONAL RESPONSE TO GOD\u2019S GRACE<\/strong><\/p>

My fellow Lutheran\u2019s, I can already see the pained look on your faces when you read the word \u201cStewardship.\u201d Oh no, not another request for money, pledge cards, or how we need to budget better in order to give financially to the church. For years, as I\u2019ve moved from one congregation to another, the annual language seemed to be the same, it was about the need of the congregation to receive, rather than the need of the giver to give.<\/p>

Recently, I was asked to join in a \u201cstewardship committee\u201d in the hopes of developing an All Saints Lutheran Church Stewardship Plan. Our vision statement is: In response to God\u2019s grace, we have a personal commitment to be generous to the lord with our time, talents, knowledge & resources in order to sustain and grow our congregation. By this statement, we recognize that stewardship encompasses so much more than money. It is a way of life and calls for the integration between our faith and the way that we live our lives \u2013 we are a congregation, a faith, that is energized by lively engagement in our faith and life. Stewardship is a mindset (personal with God), a culture and a discipline that can never be contained in an annual three-week financial response. According to Clarence Stoughton, former president of Wittenberg University, stewardship is everything we do after we say, \u201cI believe.\u201d It is a way in which we\u00a0 use all the resources that God has entrusted to our care so that we can love God and our neighbor. Stewardship is about LOVE.<\/p>

I\u2019d like to end with a quote from Kathy Fiscus, Central Lutheran Church, MN. She nails it by saying, \u201cStewardship is a matter of the heart. My stewardship practices are a response to the boundless love God first showed me. It means that I am grateful for all that God has generously entrusted to me. As a faithful steward and child of God, I understand that the decisions I make, in all aspects of my life, reveal my priorities. It is a privilege to share time, talents and finances, to care for God\u2019s earth and to serve my neighbors. Being a good steward has brought me great joy and has helped me grow spiritually. I am blessed to be a blessing.\u201d<\/p>

In the weeks and months ahead, our committee will share more of our plan with you. We hope that you will humbly join us as we invite your ideas and input.<\/p>

Most respectfully \u2013 Peace Be With You, Roger Lehrer<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sept 2024 \u201cBecause of God\u2019s Great Mercy\u201d is the title of our stewardship emphasis this year.\u00a0\u00a0The scriptural focus of our stewardship program is Galatians 6:9-10: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cSo let us not grow… Read More »Stewardship News<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/template-pagebuilder-full-width.php","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2934","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/allsaintstampa.org\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2934","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/allsaintstampa.org\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/allsaintstampa.org\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allsaintstampa.org\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allsaintstampa.org\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2934"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/allsaintstampa.org\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2934\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3846,"href":"https:\/\/allsaintstampa.org\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2934\/revisions\/3846"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/allsaintstampa.org\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2934"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}