Our Abundance

At our April Vestry meeting, we discussed the question, “What has God given us (the community of St. James) in abundance?”

Some Answers

Here are some of the answers: opportunities to deepen our faith, joy, deep care for one another, leadership opportunities, building space, calls to exercise our ministry, commitment to our mission, relationships with community partners, musical talent, and prayers.

How would you answer the question above for our community? How would you answer the question for your life?

This conversation started while working on a Challenge Grant for the Diocese of Milwaukee. This year the Challenge Grant is focused on new stewardship initiatives. The first step, in writing this grant, was naming ways in which God has blessed us with abundance. This is not just a first step in a grant writing, this is a first step for all of us who seek to be good care-takers of all God has given us.

The Parable of the Talents

After naming the ways in which we have been blessed with an abundance, we are called to action. When considering how I might best care for all that I have been given, I like to reflect on a parable in the 25th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, often referred to as the Parable of the Talents.

I do understand that the ending of that parable causes anxiety. As a child, I heard this story over and over again, but the ending was altered to be a little less harsh. For me, though, it is not a scary story, but a call to truth and action. We have been given so much! God trusts us with so much, while we are on this earth. We are to use the abundance we have been given---our time, treasures, talents, hopes, dreams, love---everything we have been given is meant to be used, not buried. We may even take risks with our abundance, and see what happens! The ending of the parable carries much truth for me. If I am like that third servant, not using what I have been given, burying what I have been given, or sitting afraid to even see what I have been given, I feel as though I am thrown out into darkness. I feel far from God when I do not face the truth of God’s blessing in my life. At times, when I have buried my gifts, it is as if they cry out to me to be used, and I have just got to get out the shovel and dig them up!

God Has Blessed Us

Please know that I apply my understanding of this parable to our life as a parish, too. God has blessed us with such an abundance --- opportunities to deepen our faith, joy, deep care for one another, leadership opportunities, building space, calls to exercise our ministry, commitment to our mission, relationships with community partners, musical talent, prayers, and more--- an abundance to be celebrated! If any of our talents are hidden in the sand out of fear, I hope to dig them out WITH YOU! I will continue to encourage you to use your talents here at St. James and out there in the community. I give thanks for the simple diocesan grant writing exercise because it reminds us of our joy as God’s good and faithful servants, to name our abundance and take risks with our abundance.

God bless you this month, and always!

The Rev. Lisa Saunders