Stewardship 2021: Rooted in Love

At First Congregational Church of Battle Creek, we seek to embody God’s love here on earth in real and practical ways. If we are to live into our mission, God’s love cannot simply be an intellectual exercise or something we sing and pray about each week. So what is it, then, that motivates and enables us to show up in real and vital ways as a faith community? Ask yourself: what roots you here?

Our Stewardship theme of “Rooted in Love” draws inspiration from Psalm 1, “They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season.” The Psalmist invited us to imagine all the good fruit we can bear when our roots have sunk down deep into the bedrock of God’s love. Being rooted in God’s love allows us to grow and flourish through the evolution and transformation that is a natural part of living in this world.

In the coming weeks, we will be celebrating what it means to be rooted in God’s love and what those roots can allow us to grow in our community. In worship, we will be hearing from community partners who are rooted at FCC and reflect on the vital role our faith community plays in nurturing a flourishing Battle Creek community.

Stewardship is a time of reflection on the collective and individual gifts of time, skill and money we plan to give in the coming year. It is a spiritual act of discernment focused on custodianship, wellness and gratitude. If you would like to know a bit more, check out Pastor Nate’s video series on the topic. (This spiritual practice also offers a practical function: it gives church leadership insight regarding the coming budget year.)