Stewardship Letter 2025

Good Shepherd UMC Family, 

This past year has been one of change and challenge, but also of grace and hope. Together we have walked through seasons of loss and uncertainty, and together we have also experienced moments of joy, renewal, and the deep assurance that God is with us. In all of it—the endings, the transitions, and the beginnings—we have been reminded that Good Shepherd United Methodist Church is not simply a building or an institution. We are a people held in God’s love and called to live as disciples of Jesus Christ, by loving our neighbors as God loves us. 

At our very first State of Good Shepherd Town Hall, we spoke about the liminal seasons—the times between what was and what will be. These in-between spaces are not easy. They bring grief and anxiety, but they can also open us to new imagination and fresh encounters with God. This past year has shown us that endings are not the final word; God is always leading us toward new life. 

This has been apparent in all the good things we have shared and offered this year. Some quick highlights of that are: 

  • Adopting new Mission, Vision, and Core Values 

  • Our new Cafe Area- The Open Table Cafe 

  • Take a Trip Tuesday- The summer program that ended in the Block Party 

  • VBS and Camp- high attendance and wonderful volunteer support 

This fruit is born of stewardship. Stewardship is about how we live faithfully in this in-between space. It is not merely about money or budgets, though those are real and necessary conversations. Stewardship is our response to God’s grace. It is the way we offer ourselves—our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness—as an act of trust that God is building a future for Good Shepherd and for the people we are called to serve. 

As we look toward 2026 and beyond, we must ask: 

  • How will we offer our lives in discipleship, generosity, and service? 

  • How will we ensure that our church continues to be a place of hope, love, and joy for years to come? 

Our stewardship series, “Money, Money, Money,” will begin on September 21st and conclude on October 5th, World Communion Sunday. This is a day that commemorates not only the conclusive abundance exemplified in Christ, but also our communion with our global brothers and sisters. We will partake of simple food and simple drink, in sure and certain hope of God’s love, care, and provision for us. 

Between now and then, I ask each of us to enter into prayerful reflection. Ask God how you are being called to grow. Ask God how your gifts can sustain this church’s ministries. Ask God to help us all see the joy and hope that comes when we live generously and faithfully. 

God is still writing our story, and our choices today will shape what the next chapter looks like. I am deeply grateful for your love of this church, for your prayers, and for your faithfulness through these seasons of change. 

In Christ’s love, 
Pastor Nikki Brown Rice