Stewardship talk by Mike Matthews
I would like to start today with a little bit of context about me. As Paul mentioned my name is Mike Matthews. My wife Karen and I have been coming to Christ Church for over 20 years now. Our sons Jake and Ben were both baptized here, attended the Sunday School, Christ Church Nursery School, participated in the pageants and plays, as well as the confirmation process. Christ Church has been woven into the fabric of our lives for a long time.
We are transplants. Our journey started in Virginia where both Karen and I grew up. We met at the University of Virginia...go Hoos! After graduation and marriage, we moved to this part of the world to start our careers. We were living in the village of Pawling and ended up at Christ Church when my parents decided to come visit one year for Easter. We checked out a few churches in the area and Christ Church seemed a good fit based on my Protestant background and Karen’s Catholic background. At the time we expected it would probably be just one Easter Sunday. Little did we know that that Easter Sunday would be the first step in a much longer journey.
What sets Christ Church apart is the people. It was true then and continues to be true today. It is one of the most welcoming and generous communities we have known. And it is what continues to bring us back to this day.
Over the years we have had the privilege to participate in a number of different areas here at Christ Church. I joined the Church Elders, was the Treasurer for a few years, co-chaired the new minister search team, and chaired the council for a while. Karen taught Sunday School, was the Sunday School Superintendent, Co-Chaired the Church Bazaar for several years, and taught in the Christ Church Nursery School.
During that time we have also participated in a number of Stewardship campaigns. One of the unique characteristics about this church is that we don’t pass a plate around each Sunday asking for donations. It is one of the many things I like about our church. But just because we don’t pass the plate does not mean our financial contributions are not vital to the continued health of our church’s mission.
When we first joined Christ Church I was not sure how things were funded. Given this beautiful setting and rich history of talented people who have been a part of this Church, I thought perhaps it was some type of endowment. But, as a former Treasurer of the Church, I can tell you that what keeps this place going are the ongoing contributions of each and every one of us.
Stewardship is about taking care of what has been entrusted to us. Our annual stewardship campaign is a call to action. And yes, the financial call to action is an important part of it. But, I believe stewardship encompasses much more. It is about taking care of the relationships with the people around us and taking care of our spiritual relationship with God.
As I look back at my own journey there are three observations that come to mind:
1. Stewardship is about Taking that first step
2. Stewardship is about Service to Others
3. Stewardship is about Finding Opportunities to say Yes to God
Stewardship is about Taking that first step
The first step for Karen and I was deciding to attend that Easter Sunday many years ago. The interesting thing about that first step is that it lead to others that we could not have predicted at the time. Small steps at first, helping set up the church picnic, cooking for the potluck, substituting as a teacher for Sunday school. Those small steps introduced us to many more people in the congregation and the more we said yes, the more people we met and the more this church started to feel like an extension of our family. As we got to know more about the church we also gained the confidence to take some of those bigger steps. But, it all starts with that first little leap of faith.
Stewardship is about Service to Others
Years of biological evolution have taught us to fear scarcity and to save our resources for a rainy day. Yet, the bible tells us we should do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Jesus came to serve not to be served. Albert Einstein observed “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” Mahatma Ghandi reminds us: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” There are volumes of data that have been published on happiness research. According to the nonprofit organization, the Happiness Project, “Generosity Increases Happiness - For our happiness, how we spend our money is as important, if not more important, than the amount of money that we make. Giving to others releases endorphins, activating the parts of our brains that are associated with trust, pleasure, and social connection. Being altruistic and spending money on others leads to higher levels of happiness.” So, a wide variety of multiple sources point to this idea that serving others and sharing what we have is the best way to find true meaning in our own lives. The more active I have become in the church the more I have found this to be true for me.
Stewardship is about Finding Opportunities to say Yes to God
Each of us has been given a unique set of gifts. Maybe part of each individual’s faith journey is about pushing ourselves to say yes, even when we may be a bit reluctant or worried that we might fall short. As Winston Churchill observed: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
Here at Christ Church you are surrounded by a community of support to help you find that courage in moments of doubt. Each of us sharing our gifts whether of talent, time, or treasure is the lifeblood of this church. And there are so many different ways to get involved in this community. Whether it is through the music programs, outreach, the silent auction, the worship team, the council or the many, many other activities that take place here on a daily basis.
During his time with us, Pastor Mark Allan encouraged us to keep looking for those opportunities to say yes to God. I believe sometimes those opportunities may be to contribute in small ways, sometimes they may be large. Consecration Sunday is one of those opportunities. I encourage you to listen to that small voice inside, have the courage to take that next step, and say yes. Thank you very much.
