Dear Friends,
I am home from the mountains, renewed and refreshed - it was a great trip and I am grateful for your prayers while I was away. Thanks to Pastor Robin and all those who pitched in while I was gone. This is a picture of some of the dearest friends in the world. We have been going to the Mountains if Western North Carolina every year since 1982 for a weekend of fun, cutting-up, fellowship and more. It was "nippy" as we saw snow flurries on top of Shumont mountain!
Driving home yesterday I was filled with great expectation as to what God has next for us as we walk this journey of faith together as a congregation in Oviedo. We are in our stewardship season and I am believe we are entering a robust calling in terms of our giving. We immediately think of giving money to the mission and ministry of the church and that is part of stewardship but in my prayers I sense God is desiring something specific of us. As I said in my last sermon at Incarnation (before my trip) God wants our hearts - the stewardship of all our lives is what he is asking for from us.
I believe God is raising us up to be a light shining in this world and the way that light shines is when we live into our calling as His people. I Peter 2:9 reminds us...
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
We proclaim by our lives, our very identity as followers of Jesus the good news which is light overcoming darkness. We give ourselves to Jesus as an offering - Body, Soul, Mind and Spirit. We lay all we are, all we have at the feet of Jesus. This is the act of worship God desires from us - and he does not need or want our money until he has us. May people see in us the wealth of surrendered life to Almighty God and join us in this ultimate stewardship. This is what we proclaim, we belong to God - we are His and their is joy in this giving...
in the mission of the Kingdom,
Fr. Jon
* And yes in this stewardship season please be prayerful as to what you are to contribute financially to mission / ministry of Incarnation. Pledge Cards are available on the back table at the chapel or you can contact Shelly and she can email you a form. (shelly@incarnationoviedo.com).
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Sunday Morning Schedule
8:30am 1st Service / Holy Communion Rite II
10:00 am Christian Formation (See Below)
11:00am 2nd Service / Holy Communion Rite II
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