November 28, 2021 – First Sunday of Advent worship service

Our final theme of our Fall Stewardship emphasis for today is “Fearless Giving.” Jesus spent more time on teaching about the subject of money and possessions than anything else. If we are going to be “fearless disciples,” we need to put away the fear and apprehension of talking about money and giving. Today we compare two of the stories Jesus tells. Both stories are in Luke’s Gospel. One is about a rich young ruler; the other is about a poor, old widow. The young ruler had it all; the old woman had nothing. Which of the two practiced fearless giving? Can we be bold as she? Might we experience this as Henri Nouwen says in his book, The Return of the Prodigal Son: “Every time I take a step in the direction of generosity, I know I am moving from fear to love.”