“What are we teaching our children about stewardship?” is an important question for parents, grandparents, and congregations to ask themselves. Often in today’s world children are bombarded with materialistic messages that can lead to a sense of entitlement and to frustration and dissatisfaction with life. Teaching them about stewardship can encourage an attitude of gratitude and the difference between needs and wants. Stewardship can help our kids find inner peace and joy while teaching them of God’s abundance.

             My mother had a black worn leather billfold that she referred to as “the Lord’s pocket book.”  She kept it in her top dresser drawer. When she cashed her paycheck she would put aside 10% of her earnings in the Lord’s pocketbook before she paid any of the bills. Many times I heard her say that paying Him came first. As a child it seemed that billfold was bulging with green bills; so, I always felt the Lord was a rich man.

             I suspect as a single parent this was not easy and mother never stored up a lot of earthly treasures but she/we always had more than enough. It wasn’t all about green bills. Her job often required working over time; yet, she taught Sunday school, served on the altar guild, and was the first woman elected to the vestry of Stras Memorial. She held offices in the ECW, baked pies and made articles for the bazaar. I am grateful mother taught me about tithing as it might have been the most important lesson about finances she taught me. Perhaps it ranks even as the most important lesson she taught me about life.      

            So much advertising is aimed at children and youth today that we need to be proactive in ways to counteract our compulsive consumer lifestyle. It seems as if the message these ads give our children is, “It’s all about me.” Child psychologists tell us that children usually form their attitudes about sharing sometime between the ages of 6 and 10. They will either develop an entitlement attitude of “The world owes me and I don’t have enough” or with a stewardship attitude of “I have been blessed and I am happy to share what I have.”

            It is easy to teach about sharing in the wake of such a horrific disaster as we experienced with Katrina in September. Now, how can we as a parish and as individuals teach our children and youth to be good stewards on a daily basis, when the lesson is not so obvious?

Bishop Powell will be at St. John’s for confirmation in April of 2006. It’s not too soon to start planning confirmation instruction. If you have a young person who wishes to be confirmed let Fr. Tom know. The Christian Formation committee is asking for a member of the parish to volunteer to teach this class for six to eight weeks during Lent on Sunday mornings. There are excellent instructional materials available. Please contact Fr. Tom or Shirley if you would be willing to teach this class.  The adult inquirer’s class will be taught by the rector. Anyone interested in participating in this class should let him know.

The Diocesan Youth will be holding an auction at the Annual Council on January 29, 2006 at Hotel Roanoke. The purpose of this auction is to raise funds to be divided between the Diocesan Youth Mission Trip Fund and the Diocesan Youth Scholarship Fund. Beth Crowe the Diocesan Youth Coordinator is asking for donations for this silent auction. She will need these items or a certificate of this gift in the diocesan office by December 15, 2005. Ask Barbara Martin for more details if you can offer an item for this auction. Some items given last year ranged from works of art, to knitted throws, prayer shawls, tickets to concerts, and use of vacation retreats at the ocean or in the mountains. 

Two years ago the youth raise nearly $13,000 with this event through the generous gifts given and the generous gifts of those who purchased the items. Think about what you may have that could be contributed to this auction for our youth.  

Misplaced your calendar and want to know what’s going on, just check out the Christian Formation link to the church’s website. www.stjohnsbedford.org

Teresa Bayne, our nursery attendant, needs one volunteer each Sunday to assist her in giving the very best of care to our busy babies and toddlers in the nursery during the 10:30 AM service. Between now and the end of the year we need 12 volunteers.  

This annual service is a way to honor your beloved pets and to say special prayers for all of God’s creatures. This is especially important in light of all the homeless animals taken into shelters due to the devastation caused by Katrina. The service takes place in the parking lot and all animals need to be either on a leash or caged. Ask your friends and neighbors to come along for this very delightful service.

Larry Schmehl and Carol Martin win the warm fuzzy award this month for their generosity to our children’s Christian Formation rooms.  Larry has made two coat racks. One is in the Bible Time for Tots room .The other is in the Godly Play Atrium and is beautifully crafted with animals from Noah’s ark dancing across the top. Carol Martin purchased a much needed new child-friendly tape recorder for the nursery.

Godly Play Lessons in the Atrium for Oct. will include: The Parable of the Good Shepherd, The Flood and the Ark, The Great Family, The Exodus, and The Ten Best Ways. Please stop by the Atrium to see the beautifully hand crafted Noah’s Ark coat rack