Stewardship: Why Give to Cedar Cross?

We have begun our annual Stewardship program.  Each year at this time we focus on our giving, and we ask all to fill out a pledge card (estimation of giving in the coming year) so we can formulate a budget and plan for the future.  That’s the practical side of it but it is much more than that.

This year we will be using a program entitled “Treasure” which is based on the sixth chapter of Matthew, the root verse being v.21: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  It is also a special time (kairos time) spiritually too.  In my sermons I will not talk about giving money; I will talk about money but in the context of our relationship to God.  Jesus talked about money, but always in the context of our relationship with God.  Asking about our “treasure” invokes mention of money but in a spiritual sense – what is ultimately important to us.  For stewardship to be meaningful and also successful it must connect to that question.  If we ask, why give to CCUMC it too must be asked as a spiritual question.

Being a part of a church is different than belonging to any other group or institution in our world.  Instead of simply participating, we belong.  As we belong the congregation becomes our spiritual home.  Ideally, in addition to the family, the church becomes a part of our identity and purpose.  As such, it is where we grow and develop our selves, ask the deepest questions of our lives, and nurture our souls.  John Wesley’s famous question given to the early leaders of bands and societies (small groups) was, “How is your heart today?”  I believe we do this in many ways at Cedar Cross UMC.  I also believe that there are many people in our surrounding community who need a place like this in their lives – and often they don’t know it.  A fundamental part of our mission is to reach out to people, not to convince them to believe as we do, but to invite them into this community of faithful people so that their lives may be transformed and as we come to know them our lives will be transformed as well.  As long as I have been involved in the church I cannot imagine life without it.

Being a part of a United Methodist Church means that we are connected with other UM churches all over the world.  We are known as a “connectional” church – at the opposite end would be an independent, non-denominational, sometimes called “community” churches.  Connection is at the heart of who we are – in our families, within the fellowship at Cedar Cross, and then with other churches.  It is as a connectional church that we are able to be in ministry all over the world.  Our aim is to be larger than ourselves – to be in mission in our immediate community, and then as we work together in communities outside our immediate area.  Locally, we participate in Teen Feed and the local VOA Food Bank.  Regionally, we are connected to the ministry of institutions like the Atlantic Street Center in the Rainier Valley area of Seattle which provides services to disadvantaged children and youth.  Through our Annual Conference, our youth are able to attend events (retreats, camps, Convocation) that become a valuable part of their spiritual development.  And we are connected to ministries all over the world.  We are in Haiti and Nepal, Congo and the Philippines.  And through the United Methodist Committee on Relief when a disaster occurs in the world we are there – sometimes faster than the government!  I feel proud of the missional focus of our denomination and Cedar Cross.

Finally, and more specifically regarding Cedar Cross, this is simply a great church!  It is full of amazing people who exude a spirit of acceptance and grace.  The Spirit is surely alive here!  We have become a Reconciling Congregation, fully accepting LGBT persons into the life of our Church, thus truly living out our denomination’s motto, Open Hearts, Open Minds and Open Doors.  We are growing, both spiritually and numerically (the District Superintendent and Bishop are particularly happy about this).  Being a part of this Church nurtures our souls and our families, provides a platform for global ministry in the world, and it’s fun to be here.

What more could anyone want?  P.Jim