God’s generosity to us
- God gives abundantly and graciously through his creation, redemption, and sustaining life day by day.
- Scripture demonstrates that God’s giving is characterised by extravagance.
- Jesus life and parables show how generosity can be translated into our lives.
- Stewardship is about using what God has entrusted to each of us for the benefit of all of his creation.
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Scriptures to ponder:
- Exodus 16 – Manna & Quail
- 2 Kings 4 v 1-7 – The Widows Oil
- John 2 v 1-11 – The Wedding at Cana
- John 6 v 1-13 – Feeding of the 5000
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Caring for God’s creation
- Christian Stewardship is caring for God’s creation.
- God created Humankind in his image, and entrusted us to care for all of his creation.
- This includes caring for all other living creatures and treating them with compassion.
- This includes caring for the environment which sustains our lives.
- This includes being fair to all and helping those in poverty.
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Scriptures to ponder:
- Genesis 1 v 26-31 – Gods creation of humankind
- Romans 8 v19-23 – Future Glory
Our response as a Christian community:
- Being an ECO Church which aims to be environmentally friendly.
- Being a Fairtrade Church which seeks to provide sustainable livelihoods to those in parts of the world where poverty is rife.
- Being a Giving Church that invests a proportion of our income in supporting Charities that fit with our mission.
- Reducing our individual and household footprints in terms of transport, food, energy and waste.
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Spreading the Good News
- Jesus commissioned his disciples to spread the Good News to the end of the earth.
- As Christians we have heard the Word and accepted it but many people we know remain in the dark.
- Stewardship is about sharing our faith with all those that we encounter, and not keeping it to ourselves.
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Scriptures to ponder:
- Matt 28 v 16-20 – The Great Commission
- Acts 8 v 26-39 – Philip and the Ethiopian
- Rev 21 v1-6A – Alpha and Omega
Our response as a Christian community:
- Support Mission in more deprived parts of London by paying 150% of the cost of running a parish to the
- Diocese of London Common Fund.
- Reconsidering our personal commitment to sharing our faith.
- Implement our Mission Action Plan.
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Investing our time and talents
- The Parable of the Talents demonstrates that God expects us to use what we have been entrusted with for Good.
- We all have something to offer, it is about discerning where God can use us for the benefit of his Kingdom.
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Scriptures to ponder:
- Genesis 39 v1-6 and 20-23 – Joseph in Egypt
- Matt 25 v14-30 – Parable of the Talents
- Matt 13 v31-33 – Mustard and Yeast
Our response as a Christian community:
- Recognise and rejoice in our corporate and individual gifting.
- Visit or Pray for those who are sick or in need.
- Get involved with worship; welcoming, leading prayers, reading, serving, singing or assisting with hospitality after the service.
- Join musicians leading music for worship and community events.
- Join volunteers maintaining Church buildings and grounds
- Serve on the PCC or one of its Committees.
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Being a cheerful giver
- In Biblical times the first fruits were deemed to belong to God, the first son, the first calf/lamb, the first wheat of the harvest etc were dedicated to God, and if they were to be kept a sacrifice was paid to recover them.
- Today we mostly undertake jobs that remunerate us in money, but the concept is the same that the first fruits of our income belongs to God.
- God does not want us to give out of duty, it is about our attitude, he sees what is in our hearts, so God Loves a cheerful Giver.
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Scriptures to ponder:
- Genesis 14 v18-20 – Abram and Melchizedek
- Mark 12 v41-44 – The Widow’s Mite
- 2 Cor 9 v6-8 – Giving Cheerfully
- 2 Cor 8 v12-15 – Generousity Encouraged
Our response as a Christian community:
- Prayerfully consider where God and Church sit in our priorities.
- Decide how we will respond to Gods generosity towards each of us.
- Commit to our chosen gift with a joyful heart.
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