Giving Thanks in our Mission for God
Dreaming God’s Dream
2026 Stewardship Vision
In every season we are called to consider the many gifts God grants us in our lives. This fall, in a series of sermons during our Stewardship Campaign, we will use the hymn “We Gather Together” to focus our giving energies.
This hymn was originally a Dutch patriotic song, written around 1600 to celebrate the freedom of the Netherlands from Spanish rule. However, we know that God’s kingdom transcends national and ethnic boundaries. When the Church sings this hymn, she is reminded of the words of the apostle Paul:
“For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil …”. Ephesians 6:12, NRSVue.
When we look out on our world today, we can still see these oppressive powers. We are also reminded that our “stewardship” is not just about our financial resources. We are to steward the liberating message of God’s love. We are all invited on this journey to claim our part in furthering the mission of FCC through our financial resources and our participation in the vital ministries here at FCC. Then we can join the church universal and sing,
“from the beginning the fight we were winning: the Lord was at our side all glory be Thine.”
Exploring the Hymn “We Gather Together”
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
When we gather together we pool our resources. We foster a joint ministry. Offerings collected are pooled and funds are directed from us to other people’s “houses.” We have stood with others – not in some standoffish way like the Pharisee – but really stood with others who are in desperate need of life’s basic necessities. We’ve stood by them because Christ beckons us to come together – to join in the family of God – to set aside differences to look past skin color or lifestyles.
The Story of Zacchaeus
We need to hear that there is a God who will stand beside us – who will guide us – who will forgive us. And despite our faults and failures call us to be saints. Through our gifts our presence our actions and our generous sharing of our lives we can proclaim to the world that from the beginning the fight we are winning – the Lord is at our side – all glory be thine!
The Question About the Resurrection
Human beings are also meant to grow, to mature, to blossom, not to hibernate in the frozen sleep of habit or tradition or familiarity. Paul says that we were meant to grow until “we attain to the full height of the stature of Christ.” We are all to extol God – we are to grow, to mature, to blossom and in the process through our gifts and service help others to grow and blossom!
The Bread of Life Discourse
God has blessed us so much. God has been so good to us that giving shouldn’t even be a question. It should just flow from us naturally. – it should flow into the loud ringing chorus – All Glory Be Thine!!!!
First Congregational Church of Tallmadge 