Stewardship Tips December 2008

Stewardship and Eucharist

Did you ever think about how many good stewards it takes to celebrate the Eucharist each Sunday? Many, many people have been at work before that first worshipper steps across the threshold of the church. Music ministers have practiced for years, honed their talents, and immersed themselves in the Scriptures before coming together to choose from the vast heritage of Christian music across the centuries the music that will be used for this particular Sunday. Lectors and deacons have been scheduled and have practiced reading the text with the correct pronunciation and just the right inflection. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion have come early to set out the bread and wine and have in readiness all the appropriate linens and vessels. The presider has pondered and prayed over the readings and prepared a homily to explain their meaning and draw parallels to our daily lives.

Art and environment ministers have vacuumed the carpeting and dusted the pews – and then hung the banners and placed the flowers to best reinforce the theme of this particular Mass or season. Altar servers have been carefully trained and scheduled, and helpful parents have conscientiously delivered the young servers at just the right time to be appropriately vested and ready to step out with the cross or the candles when the procession begins. The candles have been replaced or refilled and the hosts have been purchased, perhaps from hardworking women religious who support themselves and their aging sisters by making the altar bread for churches all across the country. The wine has been chosen and delivered and poured into a carafe to be brought forward with our monetary gifts at the offertory. And those monetary gifts (the “stored time and talent” of members of the congregation who use their best gifts to earn a living and then bring a portion of their income from that work as a thank-offering to God) have been spent to provide light and heat and microphones and vestments and everything else that’s necessary to set the table of the Lord.

All of that happens before the hospitality ministers greet the first person who arrives to add his or her prayers and presence to this celebration of the Eucharist. So many gifts, given so many times, before we bring them forward to the altar to be blessed and made holy! And then those very gifts are returned to us by our loving God as His Body and Blood, the very presence of the Lord Himself. What a wonderful celebration of gifts and gratitude! Whatever part you played in the Eucharist at your parish, whether minister or faithful member of the worshipping assembly, thank you for being such a good steward!

Stewardship Tips December 2008