“Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.”                 (Matthew 5:13-16 - The Message)

  Jesus said that we should be just like salt. In the ancient world salt was an important commodity. Salt helped to preserve food which made a big difference in the ability to store and use the harvest.  Jesus calls us to be salt for the world to help preserve all of God’s creation and goodness.  

  During the next few weeks we will be focusing on Stewardship in our worship life. Stewardship is an essential element of our faith. Stewardship is about preserving “what we do with all that God has given us, all of the time”.  

  We have come to a time in our congregation when it is necessary for each of us to take a role in the preservation of the life and work of our church.   

  We will be talking about our money and our gifts and our generous living. Our Christian faith reminds us that all of who we are and what we have comes from God and is to be used for God's purposes. God can use our uniqueness, even our limitations, weaknesses and eccentricities, to communicate God's powerful presence and love.  This is an important time to deepen our bonds as a church family. Any contribution that you make through sharing your gifts- money, time and talents, with the church will help us to preserve God’s goodness that resides in us.