This Sunday, October 25, is the first day of stewardship season at Bethlehem United Methodist Church.
Too often, stewardship is conflated with financial giving, and that is unfortunate. As you will read in the letter that you will receive next week, stewardship is the careful management of something entrusted to our care. In our particular case, it is nothing less than the church that has been entrusted to our care. By God.
Over the next several weeks you will be invited not only to consider how you will give financially to the church in 2027, but how you will give of your time and talents as well. You will hear stories each week about the ways that worship, discipleship, fellowship and service have transformed the lives of the people of Bethlehem. We hope that these testimonies will inspire you to reflect on the ways that your life has been transformed by the ministries of Bethlehem UMC.
We will consecrate our commitments to God through the ministries of Bethlehem UMC in worship on November 22. We hope that you will bring your commitment card that day and place it with the others as we offer ourselves to unconditional love of God and neighbor.
Grateful to celebrate the gift of stewardship with you,
Mary Beth