2020 Stewardship Devotional Booklet

DEVOTIONAL GUIDE

CENTENARY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 646 West Fifth Street • Winston-Salem, NC 27101 www.centenary-ws.org

Spiritual disciplines are those practices which engage our hearts and minds to understand and appreciate the nature of God. Christian Stewardship is a spiritual discipline. It is both an act of faith and a sign of thanksgiving. Our theme for this year’s stewardship season is Abundant Generosity. It is about giving joyfully and with gratitude for the blessings which we have received from God. It is also about having the faith to give without worry that we will have enough. The pages of this devotional guide tell stories about giving, abundance, gratitude and generosity. The leaders who have shared the outpouring of their hearts recognize the impact giving has in their lives. But more important, they also see first-hand how our giving makes disciples and transforms lives. May their words speak to your heart as you ponder a life of abundant generosity this year. ~ Reverend Dr. P. Glenn Kinken III

Day 1 What comes to your mind when you think of abundance? I see images overflowing with life, meaning and purpose! I envision life lived large embracing the people around us, while at the same time attentive to the flow of activity within our engagement with them.

The image of abundant living calls me to be attentive and aware of my surrounding, as well as my blessings; and within this awareness I believe we are led to discover deep joy and fulfilment. I also believe the first step in this discovery is found within gratitude. I encourage you to take a moment to read John 21:1-19. In this story I see what I hope we all can come to know as Abundant Gratitude. It begins with those who, just like us, retreat to comfortable routines and habits when life does not turn out the way we had hoped or expected. And yet within our retreat we are met by God with the unexpected. An opportunity we did not see coming, a call to keep going, and a chance to begin again when we have lost our way. I am especially drawn to the interaction of Peter with Jesus. Grace comes before gratitude.

Love is given before forgiveness is asked for, as we are met in a place within us that we might have wanted to keep hidden. The love of God flows into us, opening our heart to the awareness of how rich and abundant our lives can be as we share them and all we have learned and been given as a blessing not merely for ourselves but for others.

Just as Peter was, our lives are embraced by God’s love; we are upheld each and every day by God’s grace. So… what comes to your mind when you think of abundance? Images overflowing with meaning and purpose? Opportunities to embrace others leading to moments of attentive engagement with them? Awareness that the sharing our lives and blessings leads us to deep joy and fulfilment? What comes to your mind when you think of abundance…? ~ Reverend Bret Cogan

Day 2 God has blessed each one of us with gifts. You may be a great leader. Maybe hospitality comes naturally to you. Some of us like to do things behind the scenes to serve others. Perhaps you have been blessed financially. Do you know what your gifts are? If you aren’t sure, spend some time thinking and praying about it. Centenary also has resources to help you figure out your spiritual gifts. If you have already identified your gifts, commit yourself to using your gifts to help our church this year. You will be surprised how much of a difference you can make. This year, maybe it is time to serve on a committee, join the choir, go on a mission trip, help with children’s and youth groups, invite a neighbor or co-worker to church or join a Sunday School class. Whatever it is, get involved!

This carries over to our giving. We are reminded in 2 Corinthians 9:7 that “each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under consumption, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Let us respond to the abundance God has given us with abundant gratitude! Maybe this is the year that you start tithing 10% to the church. If not, maybe you can increase your giving over last year.

What would happen if we each decided to invest more in our church so that we can increase the impact we have in our community? What a blessing that would be.

Participation is all about being engaged. As more and more of us increase our participation, it becomes contagious. Our membership is growing, attendance is increasing, our building is being refreshed and renewed, and the momentum is strong. But we can’t take things for granted or expect others to do our part. God needs each one of us to use our gifts so that we can build disciples and reach more people for Christ.

This stewardship season, pray for guidance as you consider your pledge this year. Know that our church staff, Finance Committee, and Trustees consider budgeting and resource management carefully and that your gifts will be serving the members of this church, our visitors, our local community and beyond. ~ Reid Gilliam

Day 3 I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people.

And I will hope in your name, for your name is good. ~ Psalm 52:8-9 Meister Eckhart once said, “If the only prayer you say in your entire life is, ‘Thank you’ that would suffice.” We live in a very ungrateful world, don’t we? We live in a time and space where people expect things and feel a sense of entitlement. We feel slighted if we don’t get enough attention, enough of what we want, enough stuff. And so we live in this great tension...living out of a sense of scarcity rather than abundance. One of my favorite books is a little book called ‘Sleeping With Bread’ by Dennis Linn. It is the sweetest book centered on gratitude. In it he shares a story of children who were living in a catholic orphanage during war. The children struggled to go to sleep at night and trust they would be ok. So, the nuns decided they would tuck these little ones into bed with a loaf of bread. With their loaf of bread in hand, the children slept deeply and restfully. What they learned was to trust that they had eaten today, and with the loaf of bread in their bed, they would eat tomorrow. There was a great assurance in that simple piece of bread.

Everywhere we look we see the bounty of God’s goodness...the sunrise, the soft wind blowing right before a storm, the warm sun shining on the freshly bloomed flower, the sight of a newborn child, or the deep love of an aged couple walking hand in hand. God blesses us a hundred times a day with reflections of love and grace, and yet we are so preoccupied, we miss them. But what if we didn’t, what if we noticed these gifts and held on to them, carried them with us?

What I know for sure is there is such deep joy in recognizing the abundance of blessings we receive each day AND there is greater joy in giving back those blessings to God and to those we love. As we learn to watch and notice the blessings God gives us, then it is easier to share those blessings with others.

In this season of stewardship my prayer for all of us is that we can see and know the plethora of blessings that God bestows upon us and in turn give back to God a portion of those blessings. What I know for sure is that in gratitude we become more alive, more free, better able to love God and love others. May we simply say ‘Thank you’ to God by our returning to Him the goodness he gives to us all. ~ Tammy Pollock

Day 4 Sing Songs of Gratitude Read: Colossians 3:15-17 As we meander through the events of our daily lives, sometimes it’s easy to become complacent about the abundance of blessings God has given us. It’s easy to focus on the negative or worry about what we don’t have or fret about what we might not have in the future. It’s easy to forget when we are in good health what it’s like to not be in good health. We may forget how so many families are struggling with financial difficulties or dealing with personal events that are creating chaos in their life. When you step back and examine your own life, even in the midst of the most difficult times, you will be reminded of the many blessings you do have that are a gift from God. Are you giving back to God in appreciation?

Remember - the one thing that will always remain constant in your life full of those abundant blessings is the love that God has for you.

In being a part of a strong faith community, God allows us to be a blessing to each other through fellowship, prayer and worship.

I recently became even more aware of the many abundant blessings I have in my own life. I have a family member who was dealing with a major health crisis and we weren’t sure how everything was going to play out. Having my faith community at Centenary helped me deal with emotions that were constantly up and down. Knowing that my church was there for me, and knowing God’s love was endless, enabled me to trust the outcome. When we come together in community, you see the abundant blessings more clearly in your life and can then give back to God and your church in abundant gratitude. ~ Mary Ann Wexler

Day 5 God also said: “See, I give you every seed-bearing plant on all the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food; and to all the wild animals, all the birds of the air, and all the living creatures that crawl on the earth, I give all the green plants for food.

And so it happened.” ~ Genesis 1:29-31 The first plant I ever grew was in Vacation Bible School in the first grade. I will never forget putting the bean seed in a cup and watching it grow. It was my first experience of a miracle. Over time I have learned the essential role of plants in all of life. Life can be abundant if one has food to eat. A plant-based diet is heralded as the best way to stay healthy. For those of us who never have to worry about the next meal, we have access to almost any kind of diet we want. For those who live in “food deserts” in the underserved parts of towns, the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables is very limited. For many in the world, God’s “abundance” is not accessible including our area where, according to research, ¼ of children are food insecure.

In July the Upper Elementary children from Centenary’s summer mission camp came to help at the Food Bank Garden with Rev. Kate May. They planted a very long row of green beans for Second Harvest Food Bank. The Centenary children are learning about healthy eating, how to grow food and the mission of the church to meet the needs of other children. Hunger is a solvable problem. May we work together to become part of the solution.

Prayer: God, thank you for the abundance you have given to us.

Grant us the wisdom to be protectors of the earth and all its living things. May we experience opportunities to grow food and to share the bounty with others. Amen. ~ Aubrey Kirby

Day 6 Abundant Gratitude – Thoughts from Suzanne Epermanis Every year during the stewardship campaign, God reminds me that stewardship isn’t just about filling in a financial pledge card once a year. Stewardship is about how we live our lives. Every day we make decisions about how we spend our time, our talents, our energy, our money. Think about what those decisions say about us – about our priorities and commitments. Do we act like people who are abundantly blessed by God? Now imagine what would happen if someone told you that next year you would simply have to guess what your income would be.

You could make an educated guess, maybe throw in some wishful thinking, but no one could tell you for sure how much money you’d have to cover your expenses. Wow, what would that feel like?

It seems to me our Centenary church family is really no different than our household family. Every family wants to know what they will be able to afford, to support their family. Many families make plans, based on what they think their income will be. Some things in the plan might be optional, others will be must-haves, but all of it is meant to help the family grow and flourish. If you didn’t know what your family income would be, how would you make a plan?

Our Centenary family plan comes together every year with lots of prayer, but it also depends on knowing what we – the family members – are inspired to provide, to support it.

Turning in a pledge card, or pledging online, is the most powerful way we can help our church put together the family plan. Every gift matters, because every gift will be turned into ministry. God’s love and grace is so incredibly abundant. Let’s share his abundance with a world that needs our family plan for ministries! ~ Suzanne Epermanis

Day 7 Abundance is created through an attitude of gratitude, through the awareness that we are worthy and what we have is good enough.

When I am grateful, I give thanks for what I have. I try not to dwell on what I don’t have. I make a conscious effort to celebrate the beauty that exists in my life. I believe what we focus on is what is reinforced.

So, if we focus on what is missing, it will continue to be missing. But if we focus on what is present, it will increase and intensify. Some of us have the abundance of monetary wealth while some of us do not.

Some of us have the luxury of time while some of us have no extra time at all. The point is we all have been blessed with something and we should show our gratitude for our individual gifts by sharing them with those who do not have the abundance that we have.

That is what Jesus did with the loaves and the fishes. He had only two loaves of bread and two fishes and there was a multitude of people gathered before him and they were all hungry. Yet he did not say “How can I possibly feed these thousands of people?” He simply began to divide the loaves and the fishes that he had and, miraculously, they began to multiply until there was plenty of food to feed everyone.

We are called to be like Christ and share what we have with joy and to share plentifully. As in the story above, Jesus will provide. We only need to be the hands and feet that help to make it happen, whether it be with our time, talents, finances or intellect. ~ Michelle Higgins

Day 8 As disciples of Jesus, stewardship can be challenging. Committed and consistent stewardship is not easy. Daily we are asked to make faithful decisions about all that God has given us and entrusted to us.

Stewardship not only involves our financial resources but also our time and abilities, how we treat our environment, and how we are in relationship with those around us. God is good to give us guidance in the life of Jesus to help us understand a life of abundant generosity.

One of my favorite stories about Jesus is found in John 2:1-11. At the wedding feast in Cana over 2000 years ago, Jesus instructed the servants to fill the empty stone jars with water when the wine was depleted though the celebration had apparently not ended. Why would one fill the jars with water when it is the wine that is gone?

Jesus gave a sign of God’s extraordinary power, as ordinary water was turned into premium wine. God is still active today, equipping and gifting us as his servants as a way of continuing His work in our world. It is our role to be attentive to the needs of others, to ask God how to address what we see, and then to respond in obedience.

Right before our very eyes we can see renovated spaces being made ready for new ministries. As we enter church, we pass those in great need and watch the community around us grow and expand. As a church family, together, our generous stewardship can make a significant impact for God’s work. We can walk faithfully with one another and our neighbors into the abundant joy and peace that is promised as we generously fund our ministries and become the hands and feet of Christ. This is true life. This is abundant life.

Today let us give thanks for all the opportunities God gives us to be generous. May we trust God to take what is ordinary among us and turn it into extraordinary love for one another and all God’s people. ~ Nancy Cannon

Day 9 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. ~ Hebrews 4:14-16 This passage is a“go to” for me. I go to it when I feel weak, or lack confidence, and even when I feel my faith slipping away. Reading these words reminds me that Jesus already knows everything about me. He knows my strengths and he knows my weaknesses. He knows my struggles and he knows my celebrations. Most of all these sacred words remind me that through Jesus all my needs are met. What an abundant blessing!

There is a tendency to focus on the material blessings in our lives.

All the while the spiritual blessings are far greater. Blessings like the assurance of forgiveness. Blessings like having faith in God’s unconditional love. Blessings like knowing God will never leave us nor forsake us. Those blessings aren’t bought with money. They are given freely by God through Jesus Christ. I believe, as followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to share the blessings that can’t be bought in store or wherever we shop, by sharing our time, talents and treasures in all the ways we can.

Our blessings aren’t to be hoarded or reserved. They are to be shared so that mercy and grace may be extended to all who call, “Come, Lord Jesus!”. ~ Reverend Jeremy Pegram

Day 10 When we think about generosity we usually think about how we can help others; the focus is outward. But I wonder if when we talk about abundant generosity, it is actually more about inner transformation than anything else. Once I heard a prayer of dedication that went something like this, “God, we give these gifts not because you need them, but because we need to give them.”

I suggest that the difference between generosity and abundant generosity is sacrifice and when we sacrifice we change ourselves as much as anything else. When we are generous we feel good because we feel as though we have made a difference but when we give abundantly we must do so at a cost. When we give abundantly we go without in some area of our lives and when we go without we notice the generosity in a whole different way.

We can each make a sacrifice that can lead towards abundant generosity. It might be something small like giving up eating out and then giving the money saved to the Backpack Program. Our kids might choose to give up birthday presents and instead ask that friends bring the Loaves and Fishes food of the month. In the book “I Like Giving,” I read about a couple who took this idea of abundant generosity and sacrifice to a whole different level. Instead of tithing to their church they choose to live on 1/10th of their income and give 90% to the church.

How might God be calling you to be transformed through abundant giving? ~ Reverend Kate May

Day 11 A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great. ~ Proverbs 18:16 It is difficult to explain that feeling or emotion that one gets when they realize they have been in God’s presence. We all have felt this presence in our lives.

When we lived in Boone and attended Boone United Methodist Church, there was a time that we made supporting our local church a part of our daily lives, budget, and ongoing commitments. It became an important part of our spiritual DNA. Countless times we have seen God’s presence - a baby baptized and welcomed into our congregation, a youth group member providing an inspirational reading or spiritual reminder, a young couple joining the church and making their first public spiritual commitment, the commissioning of a mission team, or an aging couple holding hands as they take communion together. Our gifts have opened the way and ushered us into God’s presence.

It’s more than just paying for the “church budget.” It is your chance to open the way for you, your family, our members, and those yet to come.

Give generously and be on the lookout for God! ~ Megan and Tom Lawson

Day 12 “One lapis lazuli against quart and fever. One small jasper to help you find water. One small topaz to soothe your eyes.”

Many of you will recognize those words as sung by King Kaspar in the one act opera “Amahl and the Night Visitors” by Gian-Carlo Menotti. The story tells of the three kings’ journey to the manger when they come upon the home of a widow and her son, who must use a crutch to walk. The widow and her son have no worldly treasures and they are fascinated by the gifts the kings are taking to Christ.

As the story goes, the mother steals some of the gold. The kings tell her to keep it because “the child we seek doesn’t need our gold. On love, on love alone he will build his kingdom.” Overwhelmed with desire to send a gift to the king, Amahl offers his only possession, his crutch. Immediately, he begins to walk on his own and he journeys to the manger with the kings.

When I think about abundant giving, I am struck by how the characters from the opera come from two entirely different worlds.

The kings are taking treasures out of their abundance of wealth all while recognizing the king they seek doesn’t need their gifts. Amahl, gives the only thing he can because perhaps the infant may need the crutch, hand-made by Amahl.

Do we have the courage of Amahl to give everything we have? What do we do with the gifts we have been given? Do we give all we can to do the work of the kingdom? I know I fail most of the time, but I continue to try to seek out the ways in which my gifts can be used.

When I think of the needs of our community and our church, I can only dream of the possibilities if I, and we, gave with that sense of abundance.

As we share the love of Christ with our community and region, may the gifts we bring to do the work of the kingdom be abundant. ~ Doug Peninger

Day 13 Reckless Giving “Count your blessings!”

It’s a phrase we often hear. We hear it from our friends and family when we complain about our problems. We hear it from solicitors when they urge us to give just a bit more generously.

In today’s culture of careful budgeting and meticulous financial planning, the notion of ‘counting’ blessings parallels our mathematical approach to giving. But what if we temporarily suspended our calculated reality and more closely examined the kingdom of heaven to which Jesus so often appealed?

Jesus spoke of this coming kingdom as a lavish banquet, a feast where grace, mercy, and forgiveness are extended abundantly. And so, as we co-create this new earth with God, Christ calls us to live into a less measured, more reckless reality. Is this a call to give indiscriminately? Perhaps the question is not a matter of giving, but a matter – first – of receiving. For when we find our hearts immersed in the deep grace of God, we find within us a radical response of abundant gratitude, an innate urge to partner with God to make all things new.

This season, may we find our hearts swimming in God’s grace, experiencing God’s reckless giving, responding with abundant gratitude.

~ Jonathan Emmons

Day 14 I love watching children put their offering in the collection plate.

They look into the plate with wide eyes as they observe the cash --some bills crumpled, others crisply folded into squares or angels-or spy the envelopes that may contain cash or checks. They are intently looking for the right spot. “The right spot for what,� you ask? The right spot to drop in the coins which they have taken out of their piggy-banks.

You see, the right spot is that wonderful place where, when the child drops the coins in, a loud clank peals from the side of the plate.

The child is so excited to place his /her offering in the plate, they want everyone to hear it. I love that children are non-plussed that their dimes and nickels clatter to the bottom of the plate alongside twenties, tens, fives and ones, or that the coins might be mingling with a one-hundred-dollar bill and covered quickly by a stack of envelopes concealing an unknown treasure. No, in that moment the child is just blissfully glad to be giving, to be contributing what he or she has in order to make a difference in the world.

What the child does not know is that his/ her fifty cents will be used to buy a stamp, which in turn will be placed on an envelope, which in turn will carry a card, upon which a note and a prayer is written, and mailed to a woman in the congregation who needed a kind word letting her know that she was remembered in her hour of grief.

In that one instant as the child dropped in his or her offering. The jangle that echoed was like a church bell sounding to give hope to the world. I pray each time I place my offering in the plate that it will be used to make such a racket, which in turn will change the world. ~ Reverend Dr. P. Glenn Kinken III

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Commitment Sunday • October 20 All Worship Services

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646 West Fifth Street • Winston-Salem, NC 27101 www.centenary-ws.org 336-724-6311