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| Stewardship Christmas in July?
Today we have the Christmas cards with obligatory pictures, five children parties, four adult parties (all of which require preparing food, three of which require a gift under $5), elbowing through the jam-packed stores, families vying for holiday time, spending hours baking cookies (but then supplementing with little gifts when homemade feels inadequate), and trying to find gifts for people who have everything they need and then some. When I lift my candle for the last verse of “Silent Night” on Christmas Eve, emotion overcomes. It is a precious moment of Peace and Truth. The tears are for awe and thanksgiving of the Christ child’s birth, but they are also tinged with the regret I feel for not allowing Him into my life as I should have during the Advent season. It’s time for a change. Trying to spare the world from more batteries and packaging ending up in landfills and simultaneously helping the less fortunate, environmentalist Bill McKibben and some friends started a program called the Hundred Dollar Holiday. In several rural Methodist churches in Vermont, participants spent the holiday season focusing on building traditions and allowing more time for contemplation. Gift giving became more creative and thoughtful while money saved from not buying traditional gifts was given to missions. The results were threefold. The program succeeded in its goals of raising awareness of environmental impact during the holidays and helped to care for fellow community members. In addition, many, unexpectedly, found that they had rediscovered a Christmas full of meaning and delight for themselves and their families. Advent seems a long way off. But if you are interested in making changes towards a more joyful Christmas, it may require some time for thought and prayer. It may involve discussion with family and friends. It may help to start now before the pressures of our consumer world begin and the busyness of the season distracts. A few months ago I was chatting with Gayle Keller during bell practice. She shared that at summer’s end, she cuts down her sunflowers, dries them and puts them away. On Christmas morning, the big, floral orbs come out of storage and Gayle places them outside in her backyard, a gift of Christmas breakfast for the birds. It is a simple, beautiful gesture that embraces the ideals of Advent- preparation, anticipation and love. May we all find our way to God’s love this coming Advent season.
Suggested reading: Hundred Dollar Holiday: The Case for a More Joyful Christmas by Bill McKibben (available in church library) ~Kami Diehl
Russia 2009—Volunteers In Mission
The East Ohio Conference has been a
part of The Partner Church Program of the Russia Initiative since 1993. Our
mission efforts are concentrated in Since 1993, over 240 United Methodists from East Ohio have traveled to Kursk, including youth and adult leaders attending Peace Camp, Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) work teams, students and faculty from Mount Union College, physicians, pastors, educators, and various business leaders. Exchange students from Kursk have studied at Mount Union College and participated in Peace Camp at Camp Wanake. Teams will participate in construction, education, cultural exchange and Christian witness. If this is a work mission you would be interested in and would like more information, contact the church office at 740-392-6626 or jtalbott@gaystreetumc.org
Stewards of the Earth—Plants, Mission Outreach & Go Green
PLANTING: The Tomato Project provided over ninety tomato plants as well as basil, oregano, lettuce, and green bean seeds, onion sets, and seed potatoes to community members who attended the Hot Meals program in May. Thank you to everyone who contributed pots, soil, money, and time to the project. ~Kami Diehl
GO GREEN: If you would like to receive your Tower Topics and/or your Finance statements (quarterly and year end) sent to your e-mail address please e-mail: jtalbott@gaystreetumc.org If at anytime you decide you want to go back to receiving a hardcopy, just let us know. We aim to please! (So far we have 30 folks signed up for receiving their Tower Topics by e-mail and 27 for their Finance Statements!)
NEWS FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Can I give my tithes and gifts electronically? Yes. Gifts may be electronically transferred weekly or on the 1st or 15th of each month. The forms for electronic transfer may be filled out when you visit the church office.
Stewardship Is Not About the BudgetWe sometimes are lured into believing that stewardship is about underwriting the church budget. Indeed, having resources to meet the budget is important, but that is not what stewardship is all about. Stewardship is about us. Stewardship is our response to what God has given us. Stewardship is about the life-style we choose, the everyday decisions we make, the way we respond to opportunities we have to share, and the support we give to the ministry and mission of our church. When we are faithful and generous, the church budget will be cared for – but stewardship is not about the budget. ~submitted by John Kurella from EOC Stewardship News
Church Budget Comparison 2005-2008
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It
always started with stale popcorn and cranberries. The whole family sitting
together for hours, threaded needles in hand, jabbing and poking the white and
red morsels until we had enough strands tied together to wrap the tree. Later
there would be cookie decorating, lighting the candles under the Christmas
carousel, setting out the nativity.
Kursk, Russia where there has historically been no United Methodist
presence. Our long-term goal is to plan a UM congregation in Kursk. Our
short-term methods are humanitarian aid projects and cultural and educational
experiences. This year we plan to begin taking one of our teams to Voronezh
where we already have a United Methodist presence. Our Bishop has designated
the Black Soil District as part of our Conference 3C’s Initiative. (Churches,
Classrooms and Clinics)