Fall
is here! The leaves are changing, the temperatures are dropping, and hot
chocolate is on the stove. I love this time of year. I love the crisp morning
air and the mild afternoons. I can feel God’s presence in the cool breezes, the
bright sunshine, and the glorious colors on the trees. It’s yet another reminder to me that God is
at work in the world. Thank you, Lord, for letting me experience your awesome
creation.
Speaking
of trees, I recently saw a tiny excerpt of an interview with Penelope Wilton,
the British actress that some of you might recognize as Mrs. Crawley from Downton
Abbey as well as numerous other movies and TV shows. In the interview, she
says, “A society grows great when old men plant trees, the shade of which
they know they’ll never sit in. Good
people do things for other people. That’s it. The end.” When I stop and
think about her words, I realize that she is really talking about the great
commandment. In other words, love God and love your neighbor. That’s it. The
end.
A
few weeks ago, Pastor Tippens preached on 1 John 3:16-24 in which the scripture
tells us to, “love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.” Several things
from his sermon stuck with me that week, and one item in particular seems to
reinforce Penelope Wilton’s advice. Pastor Tippens said, “Love speaks
beautifully, as in 1 Corinthians 13, but love also ‘gets things done’.” I think
that’s what Penelope Wilton was saying. Loving God and loving your neighbor is
more than just a good idea. As Christians, it’s our way of life. It’s the way
we conduct ourselves on a daily basis. It encompasses everything we do as we go
about our lives. Good people doing things for other people.
The
various missions and ministries of Duluth First United Methodist Church are
good examples of how ‘loving our neighbor’ plays out every day. Our church is
in the business of spreading the Gospel and making disciples of Jesus Christ. Sometimes
we do that with words, but many times we do that with our actions. Happy Sacks,
Hugs for Soldiers, Prayer Quilts, Youth Group, Yarn Arts Ministry (YAM), and
Community Outreach are but a few examples of how we – the Church – get things
done by loving God and loving our neighbors. These missions and ministries are
only possible because we give of ourselves. Sometimes we give our time, but
other times we give our money. And,
let’s be honest, it takes both.
This
is the time of year when we start to think about our giving plans for
2023. It’s time to Grow One Step in our
giving as we work towards the tithe, or giving 10% of our income to God. In the
coming weeks, we’ll be hearing more about this in the Sunday services. Various
members of our congregation and church staff will be talking about the
importance of growing God’s kingdom by giving to the church. Loving our
neighbors is part of the great commandment, and we can’t do that effectively
without your help. Please prayerfully
consider growing one step in 2023. If you gave 3% of your income this year, try
4% next year. If you gave 8% in 2022, give 9% in 2023. Giving of ourselves for
others is what we, as Christians, do. It’s who we are. We all carry the light
of Christ inside us. I hope it shines brightly wherever you go. Good people do
things for other people. Love God, and love your neighbor. That’s it. The end.
In
His service,
Bryan
Johnson
Duluth
First UMC Stewardship Chair
If you are ready to make your Estimate of Giving to the 2023 Stewardship Campaign, you can do it online by clicking on 2023 ESTIMATE OF GIVING.
Click on GROW ONE STEP to download copies of the 2023 Grow One Step charts.
