Stewardship

The following is adapted from an article by Fr. Richard Ballew.

In addition to that personal connection between stewardship and worship, there is another connection which should also bring joy to our hearts. Though the works of love and service done by the Church may seem more prosaic, they are also thoroughly linked to worship. Remember that when one of the scribes asked, "What is the first commandment of all? Jesus first repeated the first commandment that we are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Then He immediately added, "And the second, like it, is this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:31).

All around us people are with needs-poor, distressed, discouraged-and our offerings enables ways that we love our neighbor. There are always poor people around-both within and without the Church. There is joy in heaven and on earth when we are able to provide food, clothing, and housing, and medical assistance to people in need. How wonderful to be able to take care of our own, both at home and abroad, but also to reach out to the world around us with a helping hand!

In addition, we see before us a continent, filled with hundreds of millions of people who have, for the most part, never heard of the Orthodox Christian Church. "Go", said the Lord Jesus Christ, "into all the world and make disciples of all the nations." Once again, our financial resources are for fulfilling our Lord's command, for by the judicious (wise) use of financial resources and offerings, we will be able to carry out this work of evangelism which lies on the heart of every Orthodox Christian.

When we obey our Lord's command to bring all of our offerings to the storehouses, we will have workers to send the money to pay them. We will have books, pamphlets, periodicals, and every other tool, all paid for. We will have the joy of seeing Orthodox churches spring up in neighborhoods, villages, and towns everywhere.