Rejoice and Respond

There are many reasons to rejoice at Eastminster as we move toward the fall.  We rejoice that Eastminster celebrates a rich life of worship and music. We rejoice that we nurture growing numbers of persons of all ages in mission, fellowship and education.  We rejoice that we minister to persons in life crisis whether it be at birth, youth and young adulthood, in “prime time,” or in times of loss and grief.  What a privilege!

God blesses us richly, even as scripture says “every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17).  And God calls us not only to rejoice but to continue to respond to Jesus Christ so that all may know him and make him known.

“Rejoice and Respond” is the theme for this year’s emphasis on Stewardship—the time we prepare to offer to God our time, talents and treasure to further the mission of Jesus Christ through Eastminster Presbyterian Church. 

As we focus on doing our parts to ensure God’s ministry through Eastminster will be glorifying and effective, Eastminster’s Stewardship Team challenges all of us to be regular in prayer.  As we pray, God will respond with power.  We are in a period of revitalization, and the basic “fuel” for the fire of revival is prayer.  Please pray!

Second, every visitor, regular worshipper, and member is urged to sign up for one “Home Group” today using the insert in your bulletin, going to the information table outside the sanctuary, or contacting the church office.  Beginning next Sunday there will be sixteen “Home Groups” that will meet in members’ home for ninety minutes where leaders will convey the state of the church as we head into 2016.  These gatherings will have time for fellowship and refreshment, for information sharing, for conversation and listening to the perceived “hopes and concerns” of the body as we move forward.  There will be no requests for money.

Finally, we pray that every worshipper, member and friend of the church will respond generously as we together offer a portion of what we receive to God.  The generosity of the church has been outstanding historically, and last year was no exception.  Yet, we are experiencing a season when we are relying on the reserves of the church provided by generous persons in the past to minister in the present.  Now we are at a point where members of EPC are giving more and the church is spending less than in previous years.  We have the chance, with God’s help and everyone’s generosity, to “move into the black.”  We are turning a corner.  This is huge! 

Elder Dick Dunn will give an update of our progress financially through the first three quarters of the year this weekend.  At Home Group gathering your sense of God’s call for the future will help inform the church’s direction.  Then, on November 15 Eastminster will unite in a Consecration Sunday where we will worship, offer our Estimates of Giving—good faith estimates of what God leads us to offer the church to support it financially, and we will celebrate with a church-wide Celebration Lunch.

Please be in prayer for our mutual ministry, attend a Home Group, rejoice in the Lord, and prepare to respond generously and cheerfully as the Lord leads.

Blessings,

Your Stewardship Team:  Sunny Rudloff, Chairperson, Barbara Allen, Dick Dunn,  Pete Lazaredes, June Leech, Chappie Maxwell, Bill McCaslin, Susan Wailes, Michelle Toms, Tim Rogers-Martin.  Ian Falconer and Walt Fredrickson, advisors