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From the Open Files of: |
NW Synod of Wisconsin Resource Center (715) 833-1153 |
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Contributed by: |
Grace Lutheran Church, Eau Claire, WI. |
Showers of Blessing Stewardship Thrust - Main Page
The
blueprint for a good stewardship emphasis in any
congregation is to be found in an ambitious, resourceful,
cooperative, willingness on the part of members of its
Stewardship Board. At Grace Lutheran Church 2000 the
chemistry was there in abundance. The board chair, Dagny
Johnson, was prepared to lead in a well organized manner and
without flaw. This was the year for a different approach to
stewardship.
The Board used the first several months evaluating our
Stewardship programs for the previous two years. While
underscoring the good points and discovering and critiquing
the poor we were continually wrestling with the question:
"What to do to motivate members about their response to
God's blessings." If God showers his children with blessing
after blessing you would think every member would "return"
joyfully to God. Jesus had triggered this thought (Luke
17:18), "Was no one found to return and give praise ... The
key to receiving a better return is to be found, of course,
in a better proclamation of God's abundant blessings. With
each Board member contributing ideas, Stewardship 2000
evolved.
It was not long before our pastors, sensing the enthusiasm
with which the Stewardship Board went about their business,
offered their ideas in the program. Pastor Marilee Bergerson
introduced the concept of the Blessing Bowl. By jotting down
blessing experiences and placing them in the Bowl members
could be reminded every week of the extent to which God
blesses his children. The number of blessings notes began to
grow, [ EXHIBIT
A l
Soon a large clear glass
bowl, filled with hundreds of "blessings," was placed in the
sanctuary and members were invited to seek a blessing as
they left the worship service. In the May issue of the
parish paper, "Acts of Grace,"
[ EXHIBIT
B ].
Our Stewardship Board advisor, Pastor
Deanna Wildermuth, inserted an article, based on the
familiar passage in 2 Cor. 9:8, "God is able to provide you
with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having
enough of everything you may share abundantly in every good
work." In her article Pastor Wildermuth described how
members would be blessed as they responded to ways to share
with each other, [
EXHIBIT
C ].
As time went on the focus
clearly remained on the concept of "blessing." The passage
found in Ezekiel 34:26 provided just the proper spring
board, "I will send down the showers in their season; they
shall be Showers of Blessing!" This became the theme
for Stewardship 2000 - Showers of Blessing. We set about
keeping this theme on the minds and hearts of people as we
moved toward October, Stewardship Month. A brief "Showers of
Blessing" message from the Board of Stewardship,
[ EXHIBIT
D ], was included in
each Sunday bulletin in the 4 Sundays prior beginning
September 16 and 17 prior to Stewardship Sunday, October
22.
Our organist traced down the hymn we seemed to remember but
could not find in any of our hymn books, James McGranahan's
"There Shall Be Showers of Blessing."
[ EXHIBIT
E ]
This hymn was printed; inserted in
the Sunday bulletin for each of the three Sundays in October
prior to Stewardship Sunday, October 22; and sung at each
worship service. The hymn swelled the minds and hearts of
all worshipers at all services throughout the entire month.
The congregation sang "There Shall Be Showers of Blessing"
with more intensity the last Sunday than the first. It
became an easy matter for us to begin to count our
blessings.
A litany for Stewardship month based on Psalm 103 and
Ezekiel 34 [
EXHIBIT
F ]
was also inserted in the bulletin and
read at all three Sunday services. We found repetition makes
for enthusiasm and enthusiasm brings commitment.
The three Sundays prior to Stewardship Sunday featured
temple talks presented by board members emphasizing three
very personable and understandable themes:
1. Events in the 90 year history of the congregation.
2. Blessings suggested by the variety of cards people carry in their bill folds.
3. The recognition of the talents various age groups bring to the congregation.
Thus the temple talks, brief articles in the bulletin, the
hymn Showers of Blessing and a litany for Stewardship Month
became the norm for the month of October. Familiarity with
the theme and ease of participation helped people to become
comfortable with the sometimes troublesome word,
Stewardship.
On Stewardship Sunday everyone in church literally
witnessed white fluffy clouds appearing in one section of
the sanctuary with large rain drops about to fall on members
below! Our interim pastor, Kent Johnson, had convinced the
Board this could be done and "raindrops falling" certainly
would complete the picture. Thanks to the creative minds and
artistic skills of certain gifted members fluffy white
clouds, 15 of them, were created out of quilt batting. 40
plus "raindrops" cut out of blue paper with suggested
blessings like family, Bible Camp, kindness, Jesus, time,
talent, laughter, shelter, children, youth, adults,
hospitals, teachers, radio, TV, salvation, love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness and many more printed in large
bold type were suspended from the clouds.
[ EXHIBIT
G ]
To float the clouds securely
overhead the janitors strung two virtually invisible cables
across the sanctuary 15 feet high. With clouds and raindrops
fluttering softly before them, the congregation caught the
spirit immediately as they sang the theme hymn.
Out of gratitude for the blessings God had showered upon
them, members were asked to fill out their Faith Promise
cards, [ EXHIBIT
H ], bring them forward
in a procession to the Blessing Bowl which was symbolically
placed under the clouds. The Stewardship Sunday Bulletin
Cover [ EXHIBIT
I ]
featured white clouds with forty plus
"rain drops" falling. In letters mailed to the membership
[ EXHIBIT
J ]
everyone had been invited to the
brunch served throughout the morning and sponsored by the
Stewardship Board. A spirit of thankfulness and praise was
expressed by the impromptu singing on the part of a
pastor-trio (below) combination as the final blueprint for a
stewardship emphasis had pressed its image upon the Grace
Lutheran Congregation.
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