Stewardship is partnership with God. The Tithe (returning giving 10% of one's income to God through support of one covenant community) is the biblical standard of faithfulness. In the Season of Stewardship we challenge one another to rise to this challenge not as an obligation but as an expression of love.

This message is thousands of years old. People resist it, sometimes out of fear, sometimes out of ignorance, but mostly because they have been acculturated to conform to our contemporary culture that celebrates pursuit of personal wealth at the expense of the common good.

Our current “financial crisis” is a failure of stewardship. It is the inevitable consequence of unfaithfulness to God’s covenant. The prophets of Israel never stopped talking about this.

Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory
and stretch themselves out on their couches,
and eat lambs from the flock
and calves from the midst of the stall,

who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp
and like David invent for themselves instruments of music,
who drink wine in bowls
and anoint themselves with the finest oils,

but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!

Some people react negatively to the challenge of faithful stewardship. The challenge is to hold firm to the Gospel in the midst of some who will:

1. Question our motives. ("They just want my money.")

2. Question our competence. ("The parish can't manage money."),

3) Malign the messenger. ("The Rector doesn't ____________.").

It has been this way for thousands of years. Some people have difficulty understanding that personal life flourishes when community life flourishes. Most parishioners, however,are genuinely open to hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What is that gospel? Reread Mark 1:14-15.

“The time is fulfilled.” The waiting is over. The power of God is effecting dynamic change and transformation in any human heart open to the opportunity to experience new life.

“The Kingdom of God is at hand.” The Kingdom of God does not mean “heaven” or “eternity.” It is wherever a faithful covenant community walks in partnership with God. It does not say, The Kingdom of Self. An isolated person has no part in The Kingdom except through participating in covenant relationship with others. The Holy Spirit dwells within the individual human heart insofar as that person participates in the midst of a faithful covenant community.

“Repent.” Repentance involves the transformation of our values, our perceptions, our priorities -- our very understanding of the world. Repentance is not sentimental. It does not mean to feel bad. It means to risk change. Wherever a person resists change inspired by God's promise – that person is avoiding repentance.

“Believe the good news.” Believing is an action word. Recitation of the creed for hundreds of years has given many people the notion that “to believe” means to think a certain way. You “believe the good news” when the message of God’s presence in your life gives you the courage to change the fundamental values, perceptions and priorities of your life.

The Stewardship message – that God invites you into partnership with him and that this has a material impact on your life – should startle a person. If someone in the parish does not reject the challenge of faithful stewardship, or if someone is not offended by it, or if it does not frighten someone, than we have failed to express it clearly.

So, the Season of Stewardship is upon us. Regardless of what the economy does, it is time for us to reprioritize our values. Refocus our vision. And embrace the abundant blessing God has prepared for us from before the foundation of the world.