by Pat McGeachy

FRANKLIN, Tennessee–Middle Tennessee Presbytery is greatly blessed these days in having Linda Badger Becker as our interim while we search for a permanent Executive Presbyter. That was particularly apparent to our Stewardship and Mission Interpretation unit during January and February as we began our year. (In case you have forgotten, that’s the group. currently chaired by Emily Townes of Glen Leven Church, Nashville, that has the responsibly “to interpret the mission of the church, to develop effective means of communication between the presbytery and its member churches, and to encourage and promote the grace of liberality within our congregations.”

In the initial meeting of 2012, it was clear that the unit first needed to look at our own understanding of stewardship and mission before we start trying to explain it to our sisters and brothers! It was then that it dawned on us that we have one of the leading experts in Christian giving right in our midst. At our next meeting, in response to our cry for help, Linda led us in a two-hour intensive course on the biblical, theological, and practical ways to discover true stewardship. It was an eye opener!

Our church does not have money problems; it has spiritual problems. We must begin by refreshing not our pocket books but our faith. We first allowed key stewardship passages from the Bible to drift over us as we took turns reading aloud. There are hundreds of such texts. Here are a few that we chose. If you have time, read them right now before you finish this article! 2 Chronicles 31:1-11, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15. I especially liked the way Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:51-16:2 [the chapter divisions were added in relatively modern times] jumps immediately from the glory of the Resurrection to the generosity of the Corinthians.

In short, lets begin our stewardship with thanksgiving. Times are hard for us all, individuals, businesses, and churches, but how richly blessed we are here in America! And how broadly God’s abundance spreads throughout these rolling hills of central Tennessee. As the children of Israel gladly poured out their sacrifices in response to their deliverance from Egypt, and as the early Church gave in joyful gratitude for their salvation in Jesus, let us be good stewards, not because the church needs our money, but because we need to be grateful. Not to raise a budget, but to lift up our hearts.

More to follow with practical ways to cultivate this attitude of gratitude.

The Rev. Pat McGeachy is honorably retired from the Presbytery of Middle Tennessee and is Pastor Emeritus of Downtown Presbyterian Church in Nashville.

“When morning gilds the skies, my heart awakening cries: May Jesus Christ be praised!” So sang the teaching and ruling elders here yesterday, gathered to worship, and to prepare for the upcoming 220^th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

The meeting will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania June 30 through July 7.The Synod of Living Waters arranged the training for those commissioned to attend GA from the Synod’s twelve presbyteries. Held at First Presbyterian Church, Nashville, training included orientation to the online business, briefing on Roberts’ Rules of Order, and review of the convention center and schedule for Pittsburgh.

Organized by Warner Durnell, Greg Goodwiller, and Ken Hockenberry, the event prepared commissioners for both the wonderful worship life and the rigors of the General Assembly meeting this summer.