Stewardship
A Sermon of The Rev. Dr. David A. Killian, Rector
All Saints Parish
Brookline, Massachusetts
Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany
February 12, 1995
Text: Jeremiah 17:5-10: "Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is in the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream."
I
This morning in my three-part sermon series, "A vision for All Saints Parish: Spirituality, Stewardship, Sharing," I will speak about Stewardship. The context for vision-seeking and vision presenting, of course, is our centennial.
When a parish has existed for 100 years, presumably it has already passed an important test of time and endurance. This parish is not some passing fancy. This is not a "fly-by-night operation" or a trendy whiff of fashion. No, there is something strong, permanent, and valuable here which is not simply this towering edifice built to last a thousand years. If the founders had not intended All Saints Parish to continue into the next millennium they would have put up a Quonset hut or some pre-fab construction.
Their primary purpose in coming together, however, was not to erect a building. They had something much more important in mind. They came together to form a people, a parish, the Body of Christ. This was their grand idea and their compelling mission. Today, we affirm that they made a good decision. The parish they founded has thrived, grown and weathered severe challenges for more than 100 years.
I am reminded of the passage in the Acts of the Apostles when people were disturbed about a novel group called "Christians" and they debated how to stamp out this new movement. A highly regarded rabbi, Gamaliel, stood in the middle of the assembly and said, "Let them alone. If their purpose or activity is human in its origins, it will destroy itself. If on the other hand, it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them without fighting God himself" (Acts 5:38-39).
When we talk about stewardship we talk about an activity that is not human in its origins, but which comes from God. In today's Gospel, Jesus tells us that even if we are poor, hungry, sorrowful, hated, reviled, excluded, or defamed -- if we trust in God, then we are blessed and we will one day rejoice.
II
The reading from Jeremiah and the psalm appointed for today describe our relationship with God using the symbol of a tree planted near streams of water. I am going to ask us this morning to use this tree to represent for us the who, what, how, when, and where of stewardship.
First the who of stewardship. The first reading from Jeremiah says: "Blessed are those who trust in the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by the water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit."
Psalm One tells us: "Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked. . . .They are like trees planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; everything they do shall prosper."
What a marvelous image Jeremiah and the psalmist give us: A tree planted by the water. This image meant so much for the people of Israel who lived in the desert. Whether Bedouin shepherds who traveled through the hot and dusty desert and come upon an oasis, or farmers near the Jordan River, the people of this parched land knew the importance of water. The who of stewardship is you and me and our brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ. Today's readings tell us to be planted in God. God is our nourishment. God is our water. If we are not planted in God, we wither and die. The first necessity of stewardship is to tend my relationship with God.
If God has given me this plant which is my life, then I need to care for it and nourish it. God wants me to be a healthy and vital person. Stewardship begins with taking care of my physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. Stewardship calls me to care for myself as a creature made in God's image and to care for the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health of my neighbor.
Second, we speak of the what of stewardship. Webster's dictionary defines stewardship as "the office, duties, and obligations of a steward" and also "the individual's responsibility to manage his life and property with the proper regard to the rights of others." "Stewardship," as defined by one of you in your response to the parish's vision, "means 'watching over' or 'tending' or 'looking after' something that is not ours but has been temporarily entrusted to us. That 'something' could be property, or money, or some other asset that has worth. The steward has a fiduciary responsibility to the owner because of the trust, confidence, and reliance that the owner has placed upon him/her." Christian stewardship is about our relationship with God.
It is helpful to see the connection between the plants and a greenhouse. Stewardship is primarily about the plants and only secondarily about the greenhouse. If you didn't have any plants, why would you want a greenhouse? And yet, when you do have plants, the greenhouse can safeguard them from the cold. The plants are the people in a parish; the green house is the church building. Here is the paradox: This beautiful building means nothing and this beautiful building means everything. This building means nothing if no worshipping community gathers here. If there are no believers here this building could be turned into a museum or condominiums. You and I are not called to be stewards of a museum. The paradox is that this building means everything if a worshipping community gathers here. This building becomes an expression of our faith and witness. This building proclaims to us and to others that God is great and God is to be praised. This building exists to support the faith of the people who gather here. Our primary stewardship is of the people first, then of the buildings that serve the people.
Third, when we speak of the how of stewardship, we emphasize the words personal, joyful, proportional, intentional, and sacrificial. Stewardship is about personal relationships and personal connectedness. We are here today because we have a personal connection to God and because we are connected to generations of believers before us. In a few moments, we will welcome candidates for baptism, confirmation, and reception using rites that developed in the early centuries of the Church. Our parish in the year 1995 will be linked with the seekers and searchers over the past 2,000 years who found meaning for their lives in Christ. We will be connected to the good stewards who passed on the faith to us as we now hand on our faith to others.
Does not each of us here have a personal reason for coming to Church? Each of us is on a spiritual journey. The personal dimension is central to our parish's annual stewardship campaign. Stewardship cries out for personal conversation with the opportunity to share what we think is important, including doubts, complaints, and questions. My hope next fall is that all of you will participate in this personal aspect of stewardship by being a visitor or one who is visited. My deepest wish is that all of you become visitors and that you communicate the spirit of All Saints Parish to others.
Stewardship is joyful. St. Paul said, "God loves a cheerful giver." This week we celebrate the feast of St. Valentine and we give gifts or cards to our loved ones. These gifts have meaning when they are given joyfully, not grudgingly. So it is with our stewardship response to God.
Stewardship is proportional. Of the 100% which God has given me, what portion will I return to the Lord? The Vestry has pledged itself to strive for the Biblical title of 10% and each year to move closer to that goal. All of us are asked to examine our assets and income and to set a percentage which will be returned to God. Stewardship is intentional ; by this is meant that we make a conscious and deliberate decision about our stewardship response. Stewardship is sacrificial in that I am willing to assume some risk and to stretch myself to express my commitment. My gift is precious because it costs me dearly.
Fourth, the when of stewardship is today, now. The when is daily because daily we are in relationship with God and with each other. Daily we are nourished by being planted near the running stream of God's love. Daily we respond in love of God and neighbor by how we live our lives. We respond to God one day at time, but with a view to eternity and the everlasting consequences of our actions. To be sure, it is important to fill out a stewardship commitment card in the fall to express our intention of giving time, talent and treasure -- but this card doesn't mean a thing if we do not follow through on our commitment throughout the year.
Fifth, regarding the where of stewardship, I think of the phrase from the environmental movement, "think globally, act locally." Globally we unite in prayer "for the whole state of Christ's Church" and locally for the needs of people close by. We need to think globally about the needs of children all over the world. Our Property Committee and others acted locally when they reclaimed the abandoned classrooms in the basement. To return to an earlier image, they restored a greenhouse that was in shambles so that it again it could serve our most tender and precious plants, our children.
III
Has anyone ever given you a plant? How long has it lasted? I have received some beautiful plants but I haven't always been able to make them survive. Several months ago Michael Field brought this plant to our church office at the time that he and Lorraine moved to their new home. It was green and healthy then and it still is because we have two people who take good care of the 35 plants in the parish house. (I counted the plants yesterday and yes, there are 35 plants!) This plant and all of the other plants are doing well because Tanya Starzenski and Bill Frimmel water them regularly and make sure they get the light and the nourishment they need.
You and I have been given a heritage that is very precious and we are called to preserve it for the generations to come. Generations before us bravely lived the faith and handed this gift to us. Who will pass on this heritage to the children if we do not? We are a vital link. God is depending on you and me to pass on the gift.
Gamaliel said about the first Christians: "If their purpose or activity is human in its origin, it will destroy itself. If on the other hand, it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them without fighting God himself."
Today, we pray that we may be God's stewards, women and men whose lives are planted by streams of water, who live life to the fullest, who treasure and nourish the precious gift of faith, and who make this parish strong and vital for the generations to come.
Amen.