Stewardship: tending or taking care of something of value; careful and responsible management
This month is the stewardship drive at OUUC, the time when we are asked to share our gifts with the OUUC community and congregation. In this time of pandemic, I hope that you have experienced continued connection with OUUC even though it may be different than you had before. Or maybe you found OUUC during the pandemic and are learning how to find connection to new people. No matter how you come, we are glad that you are here.
I believe that a faith community can help us make sense of challenges, find the strength to weather them, and confirm our deepest values for how to live a moral life, especially when it is hard. That is the kind of community I wish OUUC to be and that is our shared ministry together.
Taking care of our community means sharing our gifts, financial and otherwise. Tending to our community means that we grow personally and organizationally, and we support the growth of others. That is also our shared ministry.
Stewardship means tending to and taking care of something of value; careful and responsible management of something we love. And, in the process of noticing what we care for and love, we nurture gratitude and call for justice. We tend to our community so we can be transformed and transform the world.
This year, as we have for the past two years, my husband, John, and I will make a financial commitment to OUUC. We have been a part of Unitarian Universalist congregations for over 30 years, and we believe that part of belonging is stewardship of the community.
I am committed to our faith tradition because I believe Unitarian Universalism has something important and lifesaving to offer this hurting world. It is a faith grounded in love, a love that can be life giving and life sustaining, a love that everyone is worthy of.
I support Unitarian Universalism and OUUC not because we are perfect, but because we are courageous and vulnerable enough to admit that we are imperfect, and we begin again in love.
I support Unitarian Universalism and OUUC, not because we have it all figured out and wrapped up neatly in a bundle, but because we are in the messy, magnificent work of creating community.
Won’t you join in making a commitment to OUUC?
You can make a pledge here. You can complete the Skills and Interests survey by logging into your OUUC Connect/Realm account and clicking on the Skills and Interests button. As always, if you need any help or get stuck, please reach out to the congregational administrator, Darlene Sarkela.
Blessings on your week.
Rev. Mary