"Gifts and Graces"                       “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4: 10 NIV

Churches are incredible gathering places of people with unique gifts and graces.

We see such a diverse array of abilities such as leadership qualities, financial understanding, public speaking, teaching and working with our youth.  I am in awe each week as our laity step forward to provide children’s messages so beautifully, our Lenten reflections, and read our scriptures. 

I am always amazed when the conversation of gifts and graces comes up in our small groups or bible studies and I hear “I’m not sure what my gifts and graces are?”  Are you still in discernment of what unique gifts and graces God has given you?

I think one of the best ways to actively seek out and discern is to try new things.

If you have never lead prayer time or been a liturgist, try that.

If you have never come early to sing with the choir but love to sing, try that. I can only imagine how beautiful your voice will sound with everyone else!

Do you love to visit and listen to others? Check in with the office for folks you could visit at a nursing home or our shut ins.

The amazing thing about churches is that there are so many ways to utilize your many gifts and graces.  We have committees to serve on, worship events, bible studies, youth and mission trips to engage in, and so many various ways to explore what the author of 1 Peter calls that “gift you have received to serve others”.

I think one of the most amazing things to witness as a pastor is congregations discovering ways that they have been blessed to bless others. 

Do you remember the first time your realized that you were given unique gifts and graces to bless others?

Our scripture reading today is a reminder that we are stewards of God’s grace in all its forms! 

I will leave you with this quote from Frederick Buechner “The grace of God means something like: Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are because the party wouldn’t have been complete without you. Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don’t be afraid. I am with you. Nothing can ever separate us. It’s for you I created the universe. I love you. There’s only one catch. Like any other gift, the gift of grace can be yours only if you’ll reach out and take it. Maybe being able to reach out and take it is a gift too.”

We have been given our various gifts and graces in order to share with the world.  Are there ways that you are holding back sharing yourself with those in your community?  The author of 1 Peter is encouraging us to share abundantly those God given gifts-all of those external and internal gifts.

Blessings,
Rev. Lou Ward