I hope you picked up your devotional book at church on Sunday. If not, they will be available in the foyer of each worship space this Sunday. Here's a preview of what will be happening over the next four weeks. Each Monday we are mailing a note to you with a "Heart Card" enclosed. We are asking everyone to respond by filling out the card and bringing it to the church. You will also be able to fill out the cards online and email them to us, although that isn't quite ready on the website as of this writing. As members of the Stewards Circle, please take the lead in filling out and returning the cards so our bulletin boards can be filled with the messages from our congregation. It always takes a few leaders to get things started. We will have a different card each week.

I got my first heart card returned yesterday. The question is "What do you love about your church? The answer ways, always something to do. Since this came from a fellow staff member I suspect a bit of wry humor there, but it could be taken another way. In a world in which we sometimes feel unimportant and unwanted, FUMC is a place where there is always something to do, and it is always something that really matters. When I was young I thought the "real world" stuff mattered and the church was on the periphery.  Now that I talk every day with people who come to the church for a variety of needs, I realize the church deals with the essential questions, like life and death, and most of the "real world" is on the periphery. In a world where unemployment haunts too many talented people, always something to do can be a gift and a blessing.

Have you read the introduction and first devotional in Extravagant Generosity? Have you seen the differentiation between generosity, the theme of this study, and Stewardship? Please think about this and ask yourself if you see a difference. How would it affect your position as a steward if we changed the name of the office I hold from Stewardship Team Leader to Generosity Team leader? Not surprisingly, I have an opinion. I'll share it with you next week.