People's Prayers: Prayers of the People: Our Roles as Stewards ~ 6th Sunday in the Season of Creation '23 Yr A

For Sunday, November 19, 2023; Readings: Deuteronomy 26:1a, 2, 4, 8-11;

Psalm 116:10-17, Bishop John E. Hines*, Matthew 25:14-30

So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, that you, O Lord, have given me…set it down before the Lord your God and bow before the Lord…[Deuteronomy 26:10]

How shall I repay the Lord for all the good things he has done for me? [Psalm 116:10]

For the essential question is not, “How shall the Episcopal Church grow?” - but rather, “How can the Episcopal Church be faithful?” For that is the heritage worth sacrificing for - worth passing on to our children and grandchildren. God forbid that they should come to a time and place unashamed of the Gospel, but ashamed of us. [Former Presiding Bishop John Hines]

…you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master. [Matthew 25:21b]

Any of us Episcopalians who attend church regularly, in person or online, and considers themselves as a “member” or a “parishioner” or a “congregant” has heard and understands what is meant by Stewardship. Inside the church much is needed in support of the staff, the worship, the physical plant, and all the elements of church (small “c”) that we Episcopals call time, talent, and treasure. Outside the walls the needs are greater in all manner of ways. All of us, each of us in our many ways are called by Our Lord to give of our selves, significantly, from what we have been given. Money, or treasure, of course, is what we hear as foremost on the list of needs and wants for inside and outside.

We also hear of Stewardship as an element to church growth. Bishop Hines wrote that while he would rejoice at a multitude of conversions, his hope was for a witnessing community of unquestioned integrity. Further, he says that the essential question is not, ‘How can the Episcopal [insert other denomination or faith community here] Church grow?’ but rather, ‘How can the Episcopal [other] Church be faithful?’ He tells us that if we want our heritage passed on to younger generations they should come to a time and place unashamed of the Gospel [emphasis added]. We do not want them ashamed of us for creating an exclusive place only for wielding power and influence and losing our way to Christ.

The Rev. Eric Law, in his book Holy Currencies: 6 Blessings for Sustainable Missional Ministries, shows us a different way to think about the flow of currencies in our lives. Within the usual offerings of time, talent, and treasure is contained a breadth and depth of re-imagining and discovering our personal gifts for ministry that take us well beyond the scope of a seasonal directive (or harangue, in some places though not in my own parish, thankfully). Stewardship ~ Missional Ministry ~ is not merely a specific program for a specific time of year, but rather it is a way of life.

As John Wesley said, "Not, how much money will I give to God, but how much of God's money will I keep for myself?" And that equation works equally well with the other two elements of the stewardship trio: time and talent. I don't know what tomorrow will bring for my community, my country, or this world, but I will pray without ceasing for the faith, the energy, and mindset to be a continuously generous person, to be the Church [capital "C"] as a Christian in the world with many stewarding roles. A faith community builds us up and sends us out and needs our support in every way. The CHURCH is not inside a building, it is in whatever we do together, to be true, faithful witnesses as part of the Body of Christ by every thought, word, and action; to be the living Gospel. It's no easy task but Jesus tells us, in the parable of the Talents, when we have been trustworthy in a few things, we will be given charge of many things, yet most importantly, we will enter into the joy of our master.

*A Reading from Presiding Bishop John E. Hines: What I hope for has little to do with growth in communicant strength, though I would rejoice at a multitude of conversions possessing integrity. This has little to do with bigger budgets, nothing to do with maintaining a respected place with the carriage-trade clientele of our society. I hope for a witnessing community of unquestioned integrity. It may - in the future, this Church of ours – be an even smaller Church because of its witness; less powerful, and less influential - as a secular society gauges power and influence. For the essential question is not, "How shall the Episcopal Church grow?" – but rather, "How can the Episcopal Church be faithful?" For that is the heritage worth sacrificing for – worth passing on to our children and grandchildren. God forbid that they should come to a time and place unashamed of the Gospel, but ashamed of us.

~ Kenneth Kesselus, John E. Hines, from “Farewell Sermon” in Granite on Fire,Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest, Austin, 1995. Bishop Hines served as the 22nd Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church from 1965-1973

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ O Lord our God, awaken us to the bounty of Your Creation that we may be grateful stewards of the sacred trust You have given us in the miracle of this earth and its treasures. Grant us the humility and humanity to value and celebrate all of our sisters and brothers, in difference and in disagreement, with esteem and dignity, with love and generosity for all.

O God of Power and Wonder

RESPONSE: Let us grow in faith and witness

~ O Lord our God, we offer our prayers for all who lead this World, this Country, and this Community by election, fiat, or inheritance. Inscribe their souls with a yearning for unquestionable integrity, global and local peace, and justice tempered with mercy for all the people in their charge. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God of Power and Wonder