The Venerable Dr. David Anderson
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November is stewardship month at Saint John's. This year's theme is "Gifts of Love"

In our worship services in November we will be hearing some great texts that led us to this theme. We will begin with the Great Commandment and Jesus' teaching that when it comes down to it, life is about loving God and others with our whole selves.

On Remembrance Day, and the 100th anniversary of the Armistice ending the First World War, we will remember Jesus' saying, "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends" (John 15:13 NRSV). We have much to be thankful for as we reflect on the Greatest Gift.

We will give thanks that we are members of a Community of Love (Hebrews 10.11-25). And we will conclude the liturgical year by remembering The King of Love (Revelation 1.4b-8).

Of course, it wouldn't be a stewardship month without some talk about money. The point is however, that all of life--our life of love--is lived in response to (and participation in) God's life of love. Through the month you will hear some of Saint John's ministry story and you will be asked to participate with us in our shared life and mission. If you regularly worship here we will ask you to make a pledge of support of our ministry for 2019 and your pledge will help us in our planning for the next year.

Stewardship, however, is about much more than money. Stewardship asks us to consider how we care for all of God's gifts. That's why our talk of stewardship doesn't begin and end in November. Our stewardship of the enviroment is a vital concern for which we are coming to see a greater urgency than ever before. The stewardship of our time and energy as we join God in our neighbourhood is another important aspect of our Christian discipleship. So while November is "stewardship month" we are alway a stewardship people and we work to keep these issues before us throughout the year.