Recently I was in a conversation, and someone said, “There are 10 weeks left in the year. What will you do with that time?” I will let you pause and sit with that for a moment.
I have shared that observation with several others, and everyone has the same reaction: big eyes, mouths slightly open, panicked words rushing forward.
And yes, it can feel overwhelming to imagine that.
But what if, instead of focusing on our to-do lists and calendars, we imagined how we might be in these next 10 weeks? What might generosity look like?
Generosity in Serving
The way church happens is with your generosity in serving. From greeting to teaching, your time and presence make church CHURCH. As we look into the future just a little, it’s time to engage people in the life of the church through our Implementation Teams. And we want you to be involved! There are six teams: Missions, Reconciliation, Communications, Worship, Discipleship and Beloved Community. Click here to read more about each team. Each team has a particular area of ministry, and each depends on the gifts and participation of our congregation. If there is one that aligns with your passion, let us know! We want to make sure you are a part of all that we do!
Generosity in Giving
The way church happens is with your generosity in giving. Through your monetary gifts, we are able to support our ministry partners like Habitat and the Food Bank. We are able to pay our music scholars, childcare workers, and staff. We are able to provide events and programs for all ages. Your giving matters. As we look ahead to these final weeks, I am asking that you give to the church. Perhaps it will be your first time. Thank you! Perhaps it will be an extra gift. Thank you! Every gift, no matter the size, is an investment in the ministry we share and the community we are becoming.
Generosity in Committing
The way church happens is with your commitment. Commitment not just to your area of the church, but to the whole community. It's about showing up for Wednesday night dinner and programming, even if you haven't before. It's about getting to know someone beyond your usual circle of friends. It's about saying yes to something new, even when it feels a little uncomfortable.
Commitment is about more than filling a spot or attending an event. It's about investing ourselves in the relationships and experiences that make us a community. And sometimes the most generous thing we can do is simply show up, ready to be part of something bigger than ourselves.
Ten weeks. When we think about all that needs to be done before the end of the year, that might not seem like much time. But when we think about all the ways we can practice generosity, ten weeks offers us an abundance of opportunities. Generosity is not just about what we give. It's about who we are becoming together.
So perhaps the question isn't simply, "What will you do with the time you have left this year?" Perhaps the better question is, "How will you live generously with the time you have?"
And I wonder what might happen if we all chose to answer that question together.
Save the Date and Join Us!
Sunday, November 15, is our next congregational meeting around our visioning process. Following Sunday School, we will gather for a potluck lunch and a session with Jon Singletary where we will begin to dream about what we want for the next few years at Second Baptist. Listening to one another and sharing our hopes will help us discern where God is leading us as we head towards 2030. More details to come, but for now, save the date!