"I serve here!," the boy said with a bright smile on his face and a gleam in his eyes. His was a lesson in stewardship that I hope to always strive for and never forget. Kirk and I were in San Antonio, Texas, a couple weeks ago for his cousin's wedding. On Sunday, we decided to take in the four 18th century missions that sit right outside San Antonio.
     As we arrived at the first one, Mission Concepcin, we walked in right as their Sunday morning worship was scheduled to begin. One of the ushers welcomed us warmly and began showing us around the church, answering our questions about the current worshiping community. It was his grandson who broke into our conversation as we spoke. "I serve here!," the boy said, with a whole stewardship sermon in his tone alone. He was proud. More than that, he was joy-filled, to serve the church. Being an altar boy clearly wasn't something he had to do. It was something he wanted to do. His excitement about using His Hands to do God's Work in his church was something he couldn't keep to himself. "I serve here!," he said.
     We're celebrating our Commitment Sunday today. We're focusing on stewardship - a big church-y word that really means how we share our God-given gifts and bounty with others. You've received a mailing asking you to commit yourself financially to Elim for 2008. You've received a time and talent sheet asking you to share your gifts and take part in this community of faith. I know all of this can seem like one big obligation.
     But today, I'm asking you to make a switch in your thinking. Instead of thinking about it as an obligation, I'm wondering if you can think about it as an opportunity. An opportunity to take part in God's Work in the world and even more specifically in Ogden and our neighborhood. An opportunity to be part of God's Work in a personal way as you use Your Hands to live out Christ's love, mercy, peace, forgiveness and grace.
     From the beginning of time, God has used ordinary human beings to do God's Work in the world. We see it clearly in the Old Testament reading for today which I like to think of as Moses' call story. This passage from Exodus is full of powerful words from God, not the least of which is found in verse 10. "So come, (Moses), I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt." God's Work was to bring the Israelites out of their slavery and suffering and God called Moses to use his Hands to help make it happen. We know Moses' story. We know that ultimately he offered up his Hands to God. But it took him a while to see the opportunity in God's request. We sense his feeling of obligation as we read chapters three and four of Exodus and hear the questions he asks God -- the excuses he gives - to try to get out of God's call. Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt? (Ex. 3:11) What if they ask me who has sent me? What shall I say to them? (Ex. 3:13) What if they don't believe me or listen to me? (Ex. 4:1) You know I'm not a good speaker, God. (Ex. 4:10)
     As we think about our own stewardship, I think many of us find ourselves in Moses' shoes. It's not that we don't want to give, but sometimes we're scared. Giving feels like an obligation because it takes us out of our comfort zone. It feels like an obligation because we worry that Our Hands won't be good enough to do the job. We feel like maybe someone else could make God's Work happen quicker or better. Yet, God's call to Moses is God's call to you -- to all of us. "I will send you." But you won't be alone. God's promise to you is the same promise God gave to Moses. "I will be with you." As we hear God's promise to us -- "I will be with you" -- it helps us switch from a sense of obligation to one of opportunity. An opportunity to have God close at hand. An opportunity to engage with God and use Our Hands to do God's Work in the world.
     Many of your have already filled out your financial giving sheet and your time and talent sheet. You're ready to turn them in as we head downstairs for the potluck right after worship. Did you fill them out with a sense of God's call to use Your Hands to do God's Work? Did you fill them out with the understanding that God has promised to be with you to fulfill your commitment even if you've decided to give financially beyond what you've ever given? If so, that is awesome. But, if not, you still have time to consider again your commitment. You still have time to add to the ways that you would like to be involved in this community of faith.
     A little boy in Texas recently taught me that stewardship is not an obligation. He modeled for me that stewardship is an opportunity. It's an opportunity to use Our Hands to do God's Work. It's an opportunity to share with others the bounty and abilities with which God has gifted us. It's an opportunity to let God create miracles from the effort we put forth. "I serve here!" the boy said, joy-filled, regarding his home congregation. As you think about your own stewardship in this place - this community of faith - may your sentiment be as joyful. Amen.



Use a Mr. Potato Head. Each of the kids has a different part. All are important in their own way. It's just like this community. If one of us decides not to share our gift with others, we're not full - we're not as good as we could be.



Thank people who served on the committee: John P., Eli G., Paul N., Mike M., Maureen A. Maureen had her own committee who put together this brunch. Have Maureen tell their names and ask people to thank all these people with a round of applause.

Litany from Teresa of Avila prayer. - P. 109 in "Christianity for the Rest of Us" book