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Stewardship: a Bridge to Belonging

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Every year Lee and I have given generously of ourselves and our money, and in return we have experienced church life as focal to our family life. We have developed relationships that are worth far more than we can fully express. --Steve Knox

Lee and I feel so very fortunate to belong to the same church community as our daughters.  It was at First Unitarian where they received their religious education, then participated in the youth groups, and now also belong as members.  And we are filled with delight to see our grandson starting in the same programs our children started in.
What a gift First Unitarian continues to be for our family.  From the start we have never been shy about getting involved.  A sense of belonging is a basic human need and getting involved is how we fulfill it.  Lee and I signed the book right after our second Sunday service.  Not too long after that, we were participating as volunteers in the Sunday School, and also in a pre-service adult faith development  group called “Transformations”.  It is through participation in the community that we have made a wide circle of friendships, some of which are the most meaningful and enduring relationships we have.   The same is true of our daughters, as friendships formed as children in the Religious Education programs are among the deepest relationships they have as young adults.
On the Stewardship committee this year, we have been  talking about stewardship as  a “ticket to belonging”.  How do we experience belonging as members of First Unitarian?  Surely each experience of belonging is different (otherwise we would not be Unitarians), yet still, we recognize belonging is more encompassing than giving an annual pledge:  it is also a call to participate in the community.  We each have gifts and talents that enrich our community life.   And in sharing those through various church programs and in governance we build new relationships with a wide diversity of congregants.  At First Unitarian there is no lack of opportunities to become involved in our community, to contribute to the congregational life which nurtures us all, to experience the sense of belonging that comes from being a good steward.  The avenues are numerous:  welcoming members and visitors into our sanctuary, lighting the chalice, singing in the choir, teaching in the sunday school, attending gatherings of the sisterhood or the men’s group, sharing your spiritual perspectives in adult religious education, supporting the fundraising events throughout the church year.  

And pledging generously.  Every year Lee and I have given generously of ourselves and our money, and in return we have experienced church life as focal to our family life.  Over the last 3 decades, we have developed relationships that are worth far more than we can fully express.  We anticipate with excitement the new relationships we will form over the next many years to come.  

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