Beloved Siblings,
On October 6, we concluded the Season of Creation with a celebration of St. Francis of Assisi and a Blessing of the Animals following his example. While every day we are called to celebrate the “goodness and love which [God has] made known to us in creation” (BCP p. 368), the Season of Creation offered us the opportunity to reflect more intentionally on our relationship with creation: the earth, all the creatures that inhabit the earth with us, and, of course, each other.
Starting Sunday, October 13, we continued our celebration of the gift of creation but with a slight shift in focus. We will spend the time from October 13 through November 17 considering our stewardship of the gifts God has given and continues to give us. I know discussions of “stewardship” can be off-putting. I have served in enough church leaderships roles, including on stewardship committees, to know that often stewardship discussions begin and end with pledging and offerings of money. Certainly, the use of our financial resources, both individually and collectively, is a part of our stewardship — we are, indeed, called to be faithful stewards of our finances. However, hearkening back to the themes of the Season of Creation, stewardship is, properly, about recognizing that everything in creation, including our own existence, is a gift from God and responding in thanksgiving for those gifts by caring for them.
So, over the next several weeks, I invite you into a conversation — truly, a conversation — about what each of us already does, individually and collectively, to steward God’s gifts and, in that knowledge, how we might be called to serve as stewards of God’s gifts over the next year or so. This season will conclude with a festive celebration on November 17. On that day, as the capstone to our stewardship reflection and celebration, we will observe St. John’s feast day!
I look forward to reflecting and celebrating with you over the next five weeks or so.
Peace,
Michael+