Redeemer Review
The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer
November, 2008
From our Interim Vicar:
Dear Friends,
Christian stewardship encourages us to give because we receive. All that we have comes
from God, and we
thank God in many ways.
We gather for worship, we give our time to advance the work of God in the world, and we give our money to
support these and other activities. We do this in grateful response to God, who has given us not only our
material possessions, but the rich spiritual gifts we gather to celebrate. It is part of our covenant with God.
The concept of stewardship goes beyond our giving of time, talent, and treasure. It also includes how we
manage those things. When people give to the Church, they are not only giving to an individual congregation.
They are giving to God because they experience the congregation as a place where God’s work is being done.
It is thus the responsibility of the congregation’s leaders to ensure that its resources are treated as God’s and to
discern how God would have them be used.
This translates, of course, into many seemingly worldly decisions:
Should we build a parish hall?
Should we build a deck to have outdoor services?
Should we create a labyrinth in the side yard to invite and welcome seekers on their spiritual journey?
The Redeemer community needs to ask God to help determine what to do and pray and discern where God is
calling us. Then, we need to ask our members to help make this possible.
Area Ministry will require the Redeemer community to use our time and talents to engage in the ancient
Christian practice of discernment—attending to the Holy Spirit in our decision-making. We will begin with an
honest assessment of who we are, what resources and capacities we already have, how God is calling us and
what we need in order to respond faithfully.
This will be an incredible journey of discovery and growth for the Redeemer community.
Blessings!
Father Mark
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