A Note from the Rector

Well after a busy week away, I am back in the office again just in time to offer you one more week of thoughts on stewardship! As I’ve mentioned, this is often an uncomfortable topic, it is something that no one ever really wants to face or discuss however it is one which we are called to as Anglicans and as baptized people of God.

Stewardship in its broadest sense is a core Christian practice that is deeply rooted in scripture. In the beginning we read that God has set out the parameters of what this might look like way back in the garden, when our biblical ancestors are told to “till and keep” the garden. The biblical understanding of stewardship moves from there to encompass being caretakers of not just the earth, but of our money, of our gifts and of each other.

Every time we renew our baptismal covenant we are reminded of what it means to be good stewards as a response to God’s mission, as a response to God’s call on each of our lives. Our baptismal covenant which I encourage you to review sometime in the Book of Alternative Services (p. 158), gives us an expansive vision of what it means to be stewards for God. It includes a commitment to the Christian community and our patterns of common life worshiping together. It calls us to resist evil in all its forms, to offer the good news of Christ in loving service as an alternative story to the stories of greed, conflict, entitlement, war, self-importance etc., that we see active in the world. Our baptismal call invites us again and again and again to embody the gospel in our daily life and work continually towards justice, peace and the dignity of all persons.

Stewardship is absolutely about our money, but more importantly it is about how we, as faithful Christians, decide to use the many gifts that God has given to further the work of God here and now. We must always remember that we are called to be stewards of what God has provided for us, not owners. Everything we have is on loan from God, entrusted to us for a while to help us live out the gospel message.

So I wonder, how is God calling you to be a good steward? Where is God calling you to use your talents to further the kingdom? So I end this month’s talk of stewardship with this quote from John Wesley. Let us remember that we are called to “do all you the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” For this my friends… is what stewardship is all about.

Peace to you all,
Kirsten +

NOTE:  Your givings through Electronic Plate Collection (ECP) can be changed at any time by emailing Malcolm K. 

                                                                            

Christmas Fair Silent Auction  

This week we have reached a new milestone of 70 items received for the Silent Auction. With 53 coming from local businesses and 17 items from our congregation, we now have close to 50% success rate overall from the businesses we contacted! This week's new donations include: Coastal Community Credit Union (our local branch here in Nanoose), Great Canadian Oil Change, Ocean Liquor Store, Buckerfields, Rob Ohs of Royal Le Page Realty, and Ian Lindsay of ReMax Anchor Realty.  

Please remember the deadline for receiving Silent Auction items is Friday 18th and Saturday 19th November.  

 

     NOVEMBER READINGS

November 6 – Remembrance Sunday
Wisdom 3:1-9                                 
Psalm 116:1-8                       
1 Peter 1:3-9                          
John 6:37-40  

November 13th -23 Sunday after Pentecost
Isaiah: 65:17-25                    
Isaiah 12 as a canticle                   
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13    
Luke 21:5-19

November 20th – Reign of Christ
Jeremiah 21:1-6               
Canticle 19                         
Colossians 1:11-20                    
Luke 23:33-43  

November 27 – ADVENT 1 – Readings to follow at the end of November  

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS

Nov. 3                       Steve S
Nov. 5                       Rita G
Nov. 28                     Sue G
Nov. 28                     Martine S
Nov. 29                     Carol K