Each Sunday for the past two months we have been asking the question “Why? Why Church?” Do we really need the church to know about God, to worship God, to pray, to serve, to love? Aren’t there better, or at least equally effective, ways to do all of the above on our own terms, when, where, and how we want? Why Church?

What has been stated repeatedly these seven weeks is that the Church was not founded by a bunch of eager, starry-eyed, religious fanatics. The origin of the Church is supernatural. The Church was established, chartered, initiated, by God Himself. When God set the Church in motion His priorities were not walls, windows, carpets, and lighting. His priority, then and now, has always been people, real people, including you and me. We are God’s priority, God’s Church.

In our passage from the Bible this morning it is clear that each of us, without exception, has been blessed and gifted by God so that we can be a blessing and gift to others. Every Christian, every single Christian, has a God-given mission (a place to serve others) in their community, and a God-given ministry (a place to serve others) inside their church. We need the Church to discover and engage, in the right ways and for the right reasons, the passions and abilities given to us by God. If we reject the Church even our best intentions and efforts get messed up.

This Sunday is also the first of four Stewardship Sundays. As we ask “Why?” we also ask “How?” How can we best steward (take care) of God’s Church here at Grace. These are Big Questions, beautiful questions, challenging questions, questions that lead us closer to God and to each other.