Every year it seems to begin earlier. Recently I visited a local mall in the early morning for my daily walk. The mall was mostly empty except for a few fellow walkers and a handful of workers sweeping floors and cleaning windows. As I turned the corner, however, to the main court, I immediately noticed that Santa’s Village was already under construction (in October)! I walked a little further and saw the annual appearance of a store called A Christmas to Remember. Looking through the window I observed that they were already prepared to sell a variety of ornaments and a wide range of Christmas paraphernalia. Of course, with only 65 shopping days left till Christmas, they want to get a jump on the competition.

To be honest, I haven’t really thought much about Christmas yet. It is a wonderful time of year and I do look forward to sharing it with family and friends and, of course, my church family. But we have other things to think about during the month of November. I want to use the remainder of my column this month to highlight two things in particular.

First of all, November is the month we celebrate Thanksgiving. We do have so much to be thankful for this year…another year of God’s amazing love and mercy; a sweet fellowship of believers, daily provision, and on and on. I am particularly thankful this year for the strength and health to continue serving with you to further God’s work here in Blue Bell and beyond. I don’t think that I can adequately express my gratitude for your prayerful support and your many expressions of kindness and care. I know that I have much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving and I pray that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving season as well.

Secondly, November is Stewardship Month here at Grace. Out of a sense of gratitude for God’s many blessings, we will have the opportunity later this month to make our financial commitments to the ministry we share here at Grace.

When your school asks you for a donation, they probably talk about “development” or “support”. When a museum asks for the same, they might speak of “philanthropy”. The Red Cross probably says “donation”. While all these words are appropriate, only the church uses the term “stewardship”.

“Stewardship” is our word. There’s a reason for this, a theological reason that matters. The word “steward” comes from several Hebrew and Greek words in the Bible that mean something like the modern terms “manager” or “caretaker”. These words name a profession, specifically the person who ran a vineyard, a farm, an estate, perhaps a household, for the actual owner. The steward was not the owner, but was entrusted with the care, and perhaps use, of property on behalf of the owner.

Ultimately, all belongs to God. But we have been made stewards—managers, caretakers—of it. The “material” which we control—wealth, property, time and talent, indeed all of the earth—is finally God’s, not exactly ours. So, when we give to God by giving to the work of God’s church in the world, we don’t so much give what is ours as we return to God what is actually and ultimately God’s. Yes, we may have worked hard for it, but who was it that gave us life and energy to work hard? Yes, we may have come to it by intelligence, but who is the source of our intellect?

As we enter into the stewardship season at Grace, as you are asked to make your 2016 stewardship pledge, remember these words from the Psalmist: “The earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it.” Psalm 22:1.

November is an important month in our church and in our individual lives. To be sure, may it be a month of gratitude and giving as we seek to be thankful people and good stewards of all that God has entrusted to us.

In His service,

George Hawthorne