valley vine
Valley Presbyterian Church November 2017 Volume sixty-two, Number ten Dear friends, What is your favorite service of the year? When I ask members this question, I get two common replies. Often people say “Christmas! I love the candlelight, the carols, the beautiful story of God’s arrival, and the Bethlehem birth.” Many others say, without any hesitation, “Easter, of course! What could be better than sadness turned to joy, life out of death, and Jesus’ great victory over sin and the grave?!” Very occasionally, a member with Pentecostal roots will go against the current and say, “Pentecost! I have to celebrate the power and presence of God’s spirit in his children and his church.” No one ever says “David, my favorite service every year is Stewardship Sunday!” Yet I wonder, which service of the year is God’s favorite? At Christmas, God came near to teach and bless and heal through his Son. At Easter, his mercy and grace triumphed over the darkness. On Pentecost, he equipped and empowered his people. But on Stewardship Sunday, God gets to see the impact of Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost on us. How will we respond to his teaching and healing? How grateful are we for his mercy and grace? How committed are we to his mission? Stewardship measures how we respond to what God has done and what he is doing. Stewardship is the test for the character of our hearts.
There is great joy in generosity because true abundance is not about the inflow, it is a matter of the overflow. VPC is a place of regular miracles. You and I, through the gifts we give, get to be part of every one of them. When the truth of the gospel roots in a young soul, we are part of it. When the hope of eternity comforts an older saint at the close of the day, we are part of it. When homeless families are sheltered, when at risk boys and girls becoming flourishing leaders, when the poor of Malawi find security beyond survival, we are part of it. When the truth of the faith is grasped by a rising generation, and our links to the claim of grace are strengthened, we are part of it. This month, you will consider what to give to God’s work in 2018. As you pray and calculate, mark November 19th on your calendars. That Sunday, we will share the joy that comes through our faith, and the excitement of seeing God at work in and through our church. We will make promises to love, to serve, to comfort, to teach, to disciple, to share, and to venture in the coming year.
Faithfully yours,
One missionary was visiting another in South Korea in a small village. He saw a boy pulling a plow, directed by his elderly grandfather. “Is that common?” he asked his friend. “No,” the missionary said, “but our church was building a mission center and that family decided to sell their ox so they could make a contribution.” “What a sacrifice!” responded the visitor. “That is not what they said when they made the gift,” explained his colleague, “They told me they were very fortunate they had something to sell so they could give back to God.”
6947 E. McDonald Drive, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253-5342 Phone: 480-991-6424 Fax: 480-991-6427 Email: church@vpc.church Website: vpc.church