Tegether, We do great things

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

(Ephesians 4: 31-32, RSV)

 

There is a distinction between “nice” and “kind.” People are considered nice when they are polite, pleasant, or agreeable. Kindness is much deeper; kindness goes out of its way. A nice person will ask, “Are you hungry?” A kind person will bring you food without having to ask. 

Alex Trebek, the late host of the trivia game show Jeopardy, shared a very important and timely message before his death last November. He encouraged viewers to do their part in making the world a better, kinder place. “You know, in spite of what America and the rest of the world is experiencing right now, there are many reasons to be thankful,” he said. “More and more people are extending hands to do a kindness to their neighbors, and that’s a good thing … Keep the faith. We’re gonna get through all of this and we will be a better society because of it … We’re trying to build a gentler, kinder society. If we all pitch in just a little bit, we’re going to get there.” 

Epworth offers several food programs to help our hungry neighbors. We provide meeting space for those who offer support to each other in overcoming addiction. We provide space for a preschool that helps youngsters get a good start in life. We prepare dinners for our foreign students who live and work here during the summer. We hold Bible study groups and other faith-oriented small groups. And we are working to make Epworth a leader in the environmental challenges we face today … no plastic straws, stirrers or bags, and no throwaway dishes or eating utensils. Many of these activities have been put on hold during the pandemic but will resume when the time is right. TOGETHER, we do great things! 

Our food ministry embodies kindness every day. Grocery stores, restaurants, convenience stores, other organizations and individuals donate perishable and non-perishable food and paper products to the church. Many Epworth folks volunteer their time to pick up donated food, triage it, cook meals, and get this food to people and charities. I volunteer in the Food Rescue and Food Triage (zero food waste) areas. We work together with Good Samaritans (Good Sam) and the Kitchen@Epworth (Food and Love) to provide food and meals to anyone who needs them. In 2020, we cooperatively helped 14,029 persons and rescued 266,298 pounds of food that otherwise would have been thrown in the trash! TOGETHER, we do great things! 

Stewardship refers to supporters of a church being accountable and responsible to God by offering a portion of the gifts He blesses us with. Stewardship is an opportunity to examine our priorities and values, to express our thankfulness, to give of ourselves, and to grow in grace. It allows us – and encourages us – to participate in the work of God. 

We are truly grateful for your past financial support and request that, for the coming year, you prayerfully consider increasing your commitment to doing God’s work if you are able to do so. No gift is too small if it represents your prayers and a generous share of your resources. Be kind. When our hearts are filled with gratitude, nothing God asks of us seems impossible. TOGETHER, we will continue to do great things! 

Blessings,
Lauren Stayton

Your 2021-22 Stewardship Campaign Team