This week you may receive Grace’s yearly stewardship letter. Our leadership team at Grace is working hard preparing for the coming year. We are so grateful for the faithfulness of all of you in sending in your pledges. Last year we had the best overall total pledge commitments since I started at Grace in 2015.
While pledges have never accounted for our total budget commitment, the pledge total helps us to plan with greater confidence. I always remind folks that church financial stability is an ongoing miracle because we are 100% dependent upon the voluntary contributions of our members. Thank you for your support!
This Sunday we will complete our four-week series on Galatians. The scripture readings are Ephesians 3: 14-21 and Galatians 5: 13-15, 22-23. My message is entitled “Growing Fruit of The Spirit.” Many of us are familiar with the list of characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians.
I have been reading about how to grow mango trees that produce good fruit. We see mangoes often this time of year on Merritt Island. Following Paul’s teaching and analogy in Galatians, it is important to consider how the detailed care of the mango tree, from planting through the picking of fruit and aftercare, is critical to successful fruit production. The analogy helps us as we think about how to grow a thriving and growing Christian community. Our calling as Christians is to nurture a unified community grounded in God’s Holy Spirit.
If you have not already done so, consider writing a Google or Yelp review of Grace UMC. New people often read reviews before trying a new church. As always, I seek your prayers for our life together here at Grace. Remember to invite friends to join us online or in-person for worship. Finally, remember to encourage people to attend The Five in our fellowship hall on Sunday evenings. It is an excellent opportunity to get to know people in an intimate, casual setting.
See you Sunday! Pastor Steve Hart