We usually begin to think about stewardship in the fall of the year; but summer is also a good time to begin recalling all that God has done for us and to take stock of all the blessings God has bestowed upon us. The fruits of a successful harvest first begin to develop through the health and strength of the plant that sends its roots deep into the soil as it receives generous amounts of water and sunlight. In like manner, God’s Spirit takes root in our lives and develops fruit as we follow Christ and serve as members of his body the church. As St. Paul writes in his letter to the church at Galatia, these fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5.22-23a). In our call to service in the church, all of these gifts of the Holy Spirit work together and each gift enables and flows into the other--this includes our participation in stewardship--whether our giving is monetary, or giving of talent and time or all of these. As we gear up for our annual stewardship drive, you’ll begin to learn about the many and varied ways you can participate in the effort. Listen for announcements on Sundays and watch for more information in future issues of Grace Notes. To begin your stewardship journey into next year, start by giving thanks for all God’s blessings in all the forms they come to you, and think about tangible ways you can return thanks to God by giving of yourself--giving of yourself as an offering of praise and thanksgiving unto God.