Grace Celebrates Generosity at Stewardship Breakfast

Parish hall is filled for celebration

     Between services on Sunday, November 22, around 130 Grace parishioners gathered to celebrate our commitment to live and give generously, and to enjoy a breakfast buffet of eggs, sausages, casseroles, fruit, French toast, pastries and bagels.

      Local attorney and volunteer Mary Winter talked of her work to alleviate poverty, relating stories of the gratitude and generosity of people she has met locally and internationally.  She told of a local teenage foster child who commented that “Now I know God loves me” when she received her first Christmas gift in three years because of the generosity of a local organization.  In a modern-day parallel to the biblical story of the widow’s mite, she spoke about how Celestine, a man in a camp for Rwandan refugees, gave her his only possession, a bricklayer’s trowel, because she had come to visit his family.

      Ken Luebbering, Lay Ministry Coordinator, reported that this year’s pledges have nearly reached last year’s totals, and that he was optimistic that they would when all pledges are in.  He noted that the response to the vestry priorities was very positive, with nearly 30 pledges of time and talent to support the families with young children ministry initiative and nearly 50 to the various mission projects in our partnership with the Salvation Army.

      He explained that the primary reason for asking for a new T&T pledge each year is to encourage us to be intentional in our contributions to the church.  He urged everyone who has not already done so to make a pledge of both money and time and talent.  Even if the amount might seem small, it is an important way of participating in a living, caring community of faith. 

      Thanks to all who made the breakfast a success: Stewardship Team leader Robyn Burnett who organized it; Sandy Nolan who decorated; Paula Hartsfield, Celia Smith, DJ Nash, Sandy Weis and Shariya Molegoda who handled set up; Beth Eckles, Gary Sanders, and Lorenzo and Tommy Greene who provided music; the Stewardship Team and vestry members who contributed food or helped with clean-up, and everyone else who pitched in.