“Generosity is contagious!”
This refrain kept popping up as our church council gathered recently and spent time reviewing the joys of the last year, before jumping into the exciting things ahead for 2026. Across everything we witnessed and participated in over the last twelve months – worship, serving, finances, prayers, caring for one another, living, sharing, and celebrating, generosity was a holy and active contagion among us!
Even if you didn’t personally step into some of these areas, our collective community – of which you are a part – certainly did. I name you as part of the joy of generosity that dwells among us.
You helped make worship moments happen. Not only showing up, reading Scripture, leading prayers, offering music, or serving communion, but also greeting those who came through the doors by offering a word of welcome, refreshing the coffee, helping people find a seat, clicking slides, zooming cameras, baking bread, pouring wine, tidying up the sanctuary, and vacuuming following the bustle of services.
You helped haul trees in for Advent decorating, hang wreaths and garland, string lights, and stage Nativity sets in a variety of locations and then, with virtually no warning, six weeks later you stuck around after worship or came back after brunch to pack up trees, lights, Nativity scenes, greenery, and other Christmas decorations.
You dropped off hundreds of canned goods to replenish empty food pantry shelves. You donated new and gently used tennis shoes and boots for those in need of reliable footwear. You added extra gloves and hats to your shopping list so we could smother our Tree of Warmth and then share winter essentials with those in need of a little extra snuggle. You purchased toys and gift cards so no child would have to go without on Christmas morning.
You went above and beyond with your financial generosity so we could not only meet our mission spending plan goals, but also embrace an additional opportunity to repave the parking lot and install a new sound system.
You dropped off gift cards for grocery stores and gas stations so we could help people in need when they swing by unexpectedly in moments of personal crisis or acute need.
You created cozy bedrooms and served delicious and nutritious meals for Family Promise guests who called Lord of Life home while experiencing a season of being unhoused.
You sat with someone who needed to talk. You visited someone in the hospital. You drove someone to a doctor’s appointment, gave a lift to worship, and picked up a friend for a book or Bible study. You called a friend you haven’t seen at church for a while and texted someone “God’s Peace be with you!” during worship.
I could go on and on with the beautiful ways that this sacred virus of generosity has infected our lives and is spreading in our communities.
Our theme for worship, learning, and serving moments this year comes from Micah 6:8:
“He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?”
Thank you for the countless ways your heart, mind, words, prayers, hands, and feet are in motion for God’s work among us. I hope that our generosity and joy continue to spread hope to people and places we cannot imagine!
Come, Lord Jesus, come!
Pastor Lowell Michelson