Words from the Pastor

The Fields of Our Hearts

In a recent sermon on The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13.1-9, 18-23) I focused on the generosity of the sower, who flings seed everywhere, and the abundance of the harvest, as much as one hundredfold

In the words of preacher Barbara Brown Taylor …the sower…is confident that there is enough seed to go around, that there is plenty, and that when the harvest comes in at last it will fill every barn in the neighborhood to the rafters?”

Such extravagance and such an abundant yield! Surely this sower can be none other than God, and the fertile soil, the fields of our hearts. When God’s word is flourishing in our hearts, we can only begin to imagine what might happen. Surely those who sow with generosity are blessed with an abundant harvest. I am convinced that God has given us, God’s people of Pennsburg Untied Church of Christ everything we need to be a thriving congregation:

enough gifted people offering their time,
enough generous people sharing freely of their financial resources.

Imagine that, enough gifted people and enough money

to grow our programming for children, youth & adults
our visitation of our homebound,
our outreach to the community and beyond.

That’s mission and ministry in the name of Jesus right here on Main Street in Pennsburg. It’s just that those resources, of time, talents, and treasure are hidden in plain sight.

Recently, I could not find my glasses. They weren’t on the headboard book case where I usually put them. I looked everywhere. Thinking they had fallen, I looked on the floor, under the bed and beneath the cedar chest. It was my husband who finally found them, right on top of the cedar chest. I never saw them. They were hidden in plain sight.

When God’s word is growing in the fertile fields of our hearts, we will be able to see, and we will be able to help each other see how we can more generously share our resources of time, talents and treasure. What a wonderful opportunity for each one of us to deepen our relationship with God, to take it to the next level. It‘s really a matter of asking God to help us.

Help me God to see how I can be more generous with my time and my talents.
Help me to see how I can be more generous with my money.

There can be no question about God‘s generosity. God forgives us over and over again, and that gift is truly indescribable. God gives us so much. As Charles Stanley has been known to say, “You can’t out-give God.” Imagine that, none of us can out-give God, but surely there is room for each of us to grow in our generosity. And really, while we are at it::

everything we have belongs to God.

God has merely entrusted it to our care. That’s what we sing each time we receive our offerings:

“All things are yours, we make that true,
When we return our gifts to you.”

We can’t out-give God, but surely we can ask God to help us follow his example of generosity. As the sower is extravagant with his seed, so is God extravagant with his grace and mercy. God is forever and always sowing seeds in the fields of our hearts in hope of an abundant harvest. Each one of us can deepen our relationship with God by asking God a few searching questions.

God, are you pleased with how I am using my time and talents in my life and at church?
God, are you pleased with how I am using money in my life and at church?

They are not easy questions, but they are important ones. And because most hard questions do not have easy answers, I encourage you to pray on these questions.

Are you pleased God with my offerings of time, talents and treasure?
And if you are not pleased, God,
then you need to show me how I can make some changes.
Struggling with those questions in prayer is a great way to grow spiritually.

Just as an abundant harvest is dependent on the generosity of the sower, fruitful mission and ministry here at Pennsburg United Church of Christ is dependent on the generosity of it’s members. Remember, God has given us everything we need for our mission and ministry to thrive.

May the seeds of God’s grace and mercy, falling on the fertile soil of the fields of our hearts, fortify our mission and ministry that we may yield an abundant harvest.

Yours in Christ’s Service,
Pastor Becca

Summer is always a challenging time for churches.

This summer is proving to be especially challenging.
An anonymous donor has promised that if the members of Pennsburg UCC can raise $2,000 in Second Mile Gifts--that is, gifts over and above your usual giving, the donor will match that with a gift of $2000.

If you would like to make a second mile gift, please write "second mile gift" in the memo portion of your check. You may simply mail that check to the church or place it in the special "Second Mile" envelope found in the back of the sanctuary or in your newsletter, for those still receiving hard copies. Remember God has surely blessed us and wants us to be a blessing to others. The mission and ministry of this congregation is to change lives and make a difference in the world. Together let's see if we can reach that goal of $2,000 in second mile gifts before school starts in September