What really keeps churches viable?

I was asked to preach for a Stewardship Sunday last week. Afterward there was a luncheon at which I spoke.   People have gotten the strange idea that I know something about stewardship.  But I am still trying to decide if I like preaching at these events.  No matter what I say in my sermon, invariably the discussion after gets down to how to balance the books and keep the church doors open.

The truth is that church doors are not kept open by money but by God.  And the church is kept alive not by what comes in on Sunday but what goes out from there and from the congregants all week.

We are first and foremost. and I quote St. Paul, "stewards of the mysteries of God."  A church from which people go forth to share their faith by their witness in the world will never die. Of this I am convinced.   Sometimes we live as if the resurrection and Pentecost never happened.  When we hole up in church basements like it is the upper room after the crucifixion, then the Word of life is not spread and we are not really being a church.  Some churches are, in this sense. really dead long before the doors close the last time.

We share our faith by the words we say.  I had a long conversation with my manicurist the other day about God's love and forgiveness.  He initiated the conversation.  Why didn't I?

We also share our faith by what we do for others.  Maybe instead of asking people to bring their money to church we should be asking people to share it in the world and let the world know that we are doing it because of what God has done for us.   We make Christ visible again in the world by who we are in the world. 

We should not worry so much about keeping this or that church anyway.  We believe that God preserves the One Holy and Apostolic Church forever.  We should instead be faithful to what we are sure will remain forever, God redeeming love in Christ Jesus.

Lord we give you thanks that in the midst of a transient world you have given us something to hold onto that will last forever, your love and mercy.  Amen




Copyright © 2006, The Rev. Dana Reardon. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Email her at mspastor@aol.com.



The Rev. Dana Reardon is pastor at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Warwick, RI.  A lifelong Lutheran, she came to ordained ministry after 21 years in nursing, mostly in pediatric intensive care.  She graduated from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia in 1998 and served 4 ½ years in Upstate New York before becoming a New Englander.  She is still trying to understand the accent.  While in the Upstate New York Synod she chaired the Stewardship Team.  That began her fascination with what makes stewards -- and more, what makes for generosity. She has three amazing daughters: Pastor Reardon says much of what she knows of life she learned from them.