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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Greetings in our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ!

We pray that this letter finds you joyfully receiving the waning warmth of the summer sun, as we begin another year working in Our Lord’s Vineyard.  The summer has been an active one full of Church Camp and picnics and dances.  Now, it is time, once again, to renew our Commitment to Christ for the upcoming year of 2015.

The most important way to renew and live our commitment to Christ is by partaking of the Holy Mysteries regularly.  When Christ becomes the center and focus of our lives, everything else becomes a useful tool for our salvation.  The second most important way to renew our commitment to Christ is to fill out and return our Annual Commitment Card.

The theme for the 2015 Stewardship Commitment is one familiar to us all:  Care.  Care for Christ, Care for our souls, Care for His Church, Care for one another—all of these aspects of caring for the Gifts that Our Loving God has bestowed upon us.   Thus, this year’s Commitment Card reflects that very notion of Care, in the offering of our time, talents and treasures to God.

Just a reminder, when filling out your Commitment Card—this is an offering of thanksgiving between your family and God.  Therefore, take into account all of the wondrous and magnificent blessings He has bestowed upon you.  Nothing that we can offer can ever repay that which He has given to us—but we can certainly show our loving appreciation!

We rejoice with you all in the opportunity to humbly offer our thanks to God, and eagerly anticipate offering our Commitments on Stewardship Sunday during the Divine Liturgy.

May Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ continue to bestow the blessings of His Father upon all of your lives, as we strive to grow ever closer to Him, by the Grace of the Holy Spirit, always and forever!

In Christ’s Love,

V. Rev. Fr. Djurica Gordic

Committment Cards will be available soon! 

 

 

Of What Are We Stewards? 

 As Orthodox Christians we are trustees of God. 
He has given us in trust.  

• The Christian Gospel and Holy Mysteries (Sacraments) 
• Life - our own and those given for a time into our charge (children) 
• Physical Well-being 
• Personal Relationships 
• Time 
• Talents, skills, education and abilities 
• Material possessions, property, wealth 
• Power or authority

 

The Gospel and Mysteries (Sacraments)

We are called to proclaim the message of Christ to all and to come together with our brothers and sisters to offer our common liturgy to God and make frequent use of the mysteries of God and other means of Grace.

Life 

We are to cherish and protect human life, to stand up for the right to life of the weak, the defenseless, the elderly and the unborn. We are to cherish our everlasting life above our mortal life and seek first the Kingdom of God. We are to direct the hearts and minds of our children, grandchildren and others towards the attainment of everlasting life.

Physical Well-being 

We are to care for our own bodies as living temples of the Holy Spirit and not willingly weaken or destroy them by excessive eating, drinking, smoking or use of dangerous drugs.

Personal Relationships 

We are to love others as much as we love ourselves and to be like Christ and to see Christ in even the least and insufferable of our fellow human beings.

Time 

Every second and every minute we have is a gift from God. We can give God a portion of this gift by participating in liturgy, volunteering and serving the needs of the Church and sharing our faith. We are to extend Christ's victory into every moment of every day, to "redeem the time" and to "pray without ceasing" and to do all in word or deed in the Name of the Lord Jesus.

Talents, Skills, education and abilities 

God has endowed each one of us with special talents. We are to consecrate to God both our inherent and developed talents, skills, and abilities, and employ these for the building up of Christ's Kingdom. And as there are many and varying gifts, we are to seek our proper place in His Church.

Material Possessions, property and wealth 

We are to hold our material possessions in trust, to provide for our needs and those of our dependents; to care for the poor; to provide for the spreading of the Gospel; to provide for the physical well-being of the Church; to provide for the maintenance of the Ministries of the Church; and to protect our environment for future generations.

Power and Authority 

We must never exercise any office of authority as if the power were our own, but as a trust from God. Jesus Himself said, “All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to me."

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above." (James 1:17)

Let us pray today that we may all be responsible and concerned caretakers of all that God has entrusted to us. As good stewards of this trust, let us be devoted and totally committed to serve God and His Church morally, spiritually, physically and collectively as a family. This is how true happiness and the joy of life are found.

Contact Us

St. John the Baptist 
Serbian Orthodox Cathedral
900 Baker Street, San Francisco, CA 94115
Phone:(415) 567-5869
Fax: (415) 567-5855
EMAIL:  stjohnsoc@yahoo.com

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