The Bible starts out with a liturgy of abundance - a song of praise for God's generosity. It keeps saying, "It is good, it is good, it is good, it is very good." Filled with God's generosity, Jesus went around to people suffering from scarcity -of health, of acceptance, of power, of understanding - and replaced it with a gift of abundance. Jesus is well-schooled in the trans-formative generosity of God and in the conviction that if you share your bread with your neighbor, the world will be made new. He knows that generosity isn't something you just think about, it's something you do. Jesus sums up the purpose of his ministry this way: that we "may have life, and have it abundantly." Our job is discernment of the ways in which we respond to God's grace, gifts and generosity.

Stewardship means care-taking of all aspects of life - our stewardship of the earth, of our relationships - and stewardship of our money. It may not be a surprise to you that the church has bills and financial obligations. To help "run the church", your financial gifts are necessary. The Colts Neck Reformed Church does not rely on money from an endowment or outside source.

Please consider, prayerfully and faithfully, how you are called to respond to God's abundant life by giving to the church. It's a time to express gratitude to God and consider how you will commit to helping our church carry forth its mission and responsibilities.