“A Movement for Wholeness in a Fragmented World” is part of the identity statement of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). This short phrase succinctly summarizes our call as people of faith who seek to follow Jesus and live into the ways of God’s reign. It also points to the astonishing fact that God entrusts us as participants in the divine movement of healing and wholeness in the world. In fact, this is where we get the idea of stewardship in the context of our faith. From the first stories of creation in Genesis, we see a God who creates good things and then places humans as the caretakers of those good things.
We receive many gifts in this life. The gift of community that connects us to other human beings, such as family and friends and a faith community, and that connects us to the earth and all that lives upon it. The gift of resources that sustain our lives. The gifts of our skills and talents. The gifts of love and joy. The gift of life itself. The gift of our faith and the practices that shape and strengthen it. What does it mean to be the caretakers of these gifts? What does it mean to care for the message of God’s reign and the fruition of it?
This month, we consider these questions in worship and prayerfully consider how we enact our caretaking. How do we participate in this great call—manage our resources for its cause? How do we support this call through the ministry of First Christian Church? How do we live out this call in our places of work and in our relationships? What are the ways we say “Yes!” and become part of the “movement for wholeness in a fragmented world”?
October 3: Stewards of Welcome
October 10: Stewards of Life
October 17: Stewards of the Good News
October 24: Stewards of Well-Being
October 31: Stewards of Community
Blessings,
