WHAT ARE YOU WORTH?

Dear Friends in Christ:

At our June Vestry meeting, we began planning for the fall pledge drive. The following day, I began reading a book by James Hudnut-Beumler, Generous Saints: Congregations Rethinking Ethics and Money. In the first chapter of the book, Hudnut-Beumler addresses one of the most important truths when it comes to our relationship with money - our worth comes from God and not from how much money we make or have. That's a piece of Gospel truth that I cling to, sometimes tenaciously, as I live in a society in which a person's worth is usually measured in dollars and cents.

In the Epistle to the Ephesians we read, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved." (Ephesians 1:3-5) We may miss some of the power of these statements, but to a first century Christian, who was very likely not a person of wealth or social standing, these words would have been almost too good to be true. That the Creator of all that is should have chosen such a person to be his child was Good News indeed.

When we understand that our worth comes from God, that God has called us to be his beloved children, then we are free to live without fear. Rich or poor, successful or not, well thought of by others or not, we are loved by God and it is God's attitude towards us, and not that of our neighbors that really matters. Secure in that knowledge we can live generous, even risk-taking lives.

I am not suggesting that we be foolhardy and take unnecessary risks. But I find that I am at times overly cautious, unwilling to take risks for the sake of the Church's mission. I suspect that may be true for some of you as well. What I am suggesting is that we ask God to show us what we are called to do, both personally and as a parish, and to pray for the boldness to do that work, whatever the risks may be.

After September 11, 2001, our Vestry voted to leave the church open for prayer around the clock. They did that knowing that there were risks involved, but believing that this was what God was calling us to do. That call has been confirmed over and over again as we have seen how this simple act of hospitality has been a gift to so many people in this community. May we continue to respond to God's call, whatever the risks, secure in the knowledge of God's unfailing, constant and abundant love for us, his children.

Your brother and priest,
Daniel+