My Legacy of Faith

Earlier this year, I participated in a small group study led by Pastor Tracey.  As part of that, we were asked to write our spiritual autobiographies. When I was thinking about what I wanted to say about stewardship today, I went back to what I wrote for that, and I found that my answer was right there. I want to share with you a small portion of what I wrote.
 
I was brought up in the church, the United Methodist Church, specifically. I remember kids’ choir, the Hanging of the Greens, lots of fellowship meals, Christmas Eve services, Easter cantatas, Vacation Bible School, and on and on. 

So many people in that church helped shape me and my early spirituality. Mostly, though, I am struck by the incredible example of my mother, who modeled Christianity and Christian love for me and my brother in so many ways. She taught us about prayer, she taught us the great songs of the church, she showed us how to participate actively in a church community, and to contribute through our prayers, our presence, our gifts, and our service.

Now that I am a parent, I realize more clearly how much she was doing, and what an incredible gift she was giving us, a legacy of faith. I want to give that same gift to my children, and I’m so grateful that with my husband Matt I have a full and true partner in that process.
 
So, why do I give to the church? My gift is an offering of gratitude for my past, a commitment from my family for the present, and a legacy for my children’s future.

Jennifer Dobbs-Oates