Stewardship by Lou

October 11, 2015, the 20th Sunday after the Day of Pentecost

Mark 10:17-31

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.'" He said to him, "Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth." Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." They were greatly astounded and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible."

What would you do if Jesus asked you to sell all of your possessions and give the money to the poor?

In contemplating this story, often referred to as the story of the rich young ruler, we may tend to focus on what seems to be a request to impoverish ourselves.

We may remember those who have taken Jesus’ words literally, perhaps most notably St. Francis of Assisi, who actually gave up all of his possessions to follow Jesus. Or Mother Teresa, and other monastics who take a vow of poverty and dedicate their lives to Jesus.

But the story is about more than giving up all of one’s possessions. It’s about connecting to the Divine. It’s about being in relationship with Jesus, about putting him first, and following him.

Notice how Jesus connects with the rich man. Jesus looks at him, loves him, and asks him to follow him. Jesus wants to enter into relationship with him. Jesus is offering him an intimate Divine relationship. Sadly, the man’s possessions get in the way, and prevent him from connecting with Jesus. The bottom line of our Gospel is about relationship with God and barriers to that relationship.

This Gospel is a wonderful opportunity to examine our relationship to our possessions, our relationship with God, and whether we too allow our possessions to get in the way of connecting

with Jesus and being his disciple.

Every year around this time we ask ourselves the question, how much are we willing to commit to support the work of the Gospel and the building of the Kingdom of God through the mission and ministries of St. Paul’s. This year’s stewardship campaign begins next weekend, and, appropriate to this morning’s Gospel, is called Connect.

We will invite you to connect to St. Paul’s, connect to the community, connect to the world, and connect to God. There are so many ways we connect to each other and God through the ministries of St. Paul’s: in our own backyard, in the larger Pittsburgh community, in McDowell County, West Virginia, and as far away as Uganda.

How do you connect? Do you connect to God in Spirit-filled worship and glorious music that ranges from the great hymns of the Church to Gospel and contemporary praise; fellowship ranging from donuts to fish fries, pancake suppers, brunches, and harvest dinners; pastoral care; outreach; and our many programs for children, youth, and adults?

Do you connect to people living with HIV/AIDS at the Shepherd Wellness Center in Bloomfield

and those who use the food pantry of South Hills Interfaith Ministries in Bethel Park through the produce grown in our St. Francis Garden? And to the 80 children and youth who tended the garden during VBS and embraced the teachings of St. Francis?

Do you connect to the families of the East End and beyond at Jeremiah’s Place, Pittsburgh’s first 24/7 crisis nursery and the ministry of parishioner Eileen Sharbaugh?

Do you connect to the people of McDowell County, WV, the poorest county in the state, through our annual mission trip, forming lasting bonds of mutual support and affection?

Do you connect to the people of Hoima, Uganda through the work of Pat and Carolyn Hurd at the Mustard Seed Babies Home and by drinking Ugandan Gold coffee from the nearby coffee farm?

Do you connect to the marginalized through our growing emphasis on social justice, exemplified by Vestry member Erin Morey’s service as an Episcopal Church Delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women?

Do you connect to each other and the world through our new website and our Facebook page, and maybe even our Instagram account?

We chose the theme of Connect for stewardship for several reasons. Most of you know that we are trying to be more inviting, welcoming, and connecting. Ultimately it’s all about connecting, all about relationship. Every Sunday we gather for Communion, a word that literally means to connect. We are a community, again meaning connections. We worship a God who is in community and relationship through the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and who is in deep relationship and connection with us.

Our Connect goal is $675,000. That’s how much your Vestry has determined is needed in pledges to carry out our mission and ministries during 2016, to continue making and growing connections here and around the world.

I’m pleased to report that your Vestry is all in. 100% of your Vestry, and all staff who are members of St. Paul’s, have already pledged almost $90,000 for the coming year, so we begin the Connect campaign having already achieved over 13% of our goal.

Next we will ask you for your connection, your participation in the Connect campaign. Please know that it’s vital. 90% of our annual budget is dependent on giving by parishioners. Unlike many large churches, we receive no income from an endowment. Each and every pledge counts.

It costs over $2,000 a day, 365 days a year, to fund our mission and ministries, our connections. Our Vestry and staff have already promised to provide about 45 days of 2016. Please pray about how many days you might be able to fund.

So what would you do if Jesus asked you to sell all of your possessions and give the money to the poor, and follow him? Or if Jesus asked you not to be possessed by your possessions?

Or if Jesus asked you to treat your possessions as though they all belonged to God, and to use them generously to do the work of Christ in the world?

That’s what I believe Jesus is asking each of us. To use our possessions and our income generously. Not be possessed by them or allow them to get in the way of our connection to the Divine. To remember that all that we have and all that we are comes from God. To enter into relationship with Jesus and follow him.

I must confess that every year I feel as though it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than to get from zero to our stewardship goal. And every year I discover anew that for God, all things are possible.

When you receive your Connect pledge card or go to the online giving page on our website, I invite you to Connect to God, connect to St. Paul’s, and join me in giving generously for the sake of the Gospel and the growing of God’s Kingdom.

Amen.