We, The Church: Stewardship Is Intentional

Each week Pastor Sarah offers a devotional reflection to connect with the South Shore UMC Family. Use this entry as a way to prepare your heart and mind for worship. See you Sunday!

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Sunday’s Scripture ~ I Timothy 6:6-19.

Devotional Scripture ~ Galatians 5:6.

This Sunday the South Shore UMCommunity will celebrate All Saints Sunday in remembrance of all the faithful persons that have entered life eternal since our last celebration of All Saints. It is a somber and holy time to be in worship - to give thanks, to remember, and to lean into the promise of resurrection.

South Shore has the beautiful tradition of including not just those persons who were members or regular participants at South Shore in their All Saints Celebration, but also immediate family members to our members and regular participants. This is truly beautiful, and a gift to me this year, as we recognize both my Gramps and my Aunt Jean in this time of worship.

We believe that our God is love. Nowhere is God’s love more evident for us than on the cross of Jesus. There our Savior opened wide his arms to receive us. That day love conquered sin. And in three day’s time, love conquered sin’s consequence.

God is love and so faith in God must have love. As we mature in life, we mature in knowledge and awareness of God’s love. As we mature in knowledge and awareness of God’s love, we mature in our expressions of God’s love. Their frequency increases. Their generosity increases. Their reach increases. Simply, as we mature in knowledge and awareness of God’s love, our faith increases.

As our faith increases, so does our resolve. When our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus and his righteousness, we are able to face and stand and endure in the midst of grief and loss, sickness and pain. God’s love for us gives us every reason to have faith. And our faith gives us every reason to show the world how much we love God.

Reflection: What acts of faith does God’s love inspire you to do? What acts of faith do you aspire to offer because of God’s love?

Prayer: "For all the saints, who from their labors rest, who thee by faith before the world confessed, thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest. Alleluia, Alleluia!"* Amen!

*”For All The Saints,” The United Methodist Hymnal 711.

**Devotional Resource: The Weekly Faith Project by Zondervan.