In the summer months, when watermelons are piled high in the middle of grocery store isles, I always chuckle at folks who are “thumping” melons before making selection. What do they know that I don’t? When I thump those melons, sure some may sound a little deeper than others… but truth be told I can’t really tell a difference from one watermelon’s ripeness to another.

This Sunday we’re wrapping up our stewardship series called Money Matters and I’ll be preaching on a text from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 7:15-20). In this passage Jesus cautions his listeners – including: the random folks who were nearby, his disciples, the religious leaders, and us modern hearers today -- from following false prophets. He says, 

Just as, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them.

The bad news: we can’t go around “thumping” people or churches in order to determine how ripe they are or are not. It sure would be nice if we could, because that would honestly be a whole lot easier than the good news. Which is this: that our fruitfulness is, in fact, measurable! 

That our growth in discipleship is measurable is good news to me, because it means we can celebrate the small victories along what can sometimes be a tough journey. Following Jesus isn’t easy! Discipleship calls us to hard things like protecting and seeking justice for people who are poor, oppressed, vulnerable, strangers, outsiders, and marginalized. Measuring our fruitfulness in these areas can be a tad nebulous. Far less quantifiable than other areas of our discipleship… such as our financial generosity.

During the month of October, I’ve encouraged everyone to pray about their financial generosity to the church and I’ve asked that you take a step further with me on the pathway to Gracious Generosity. No matter where you are on that path – not yet tithing, at a full tithe, or beyond – my hope is that you’ll consider taking ONE step forward, that we as a church might take a step forward in 2023. 

In 2018 we had 76 pledged contributors. In 2019 we had 98. In 2020 that number dropped to 83. It then dropped again in 2021 to 50 contributors and remained the same in 2022. 

I’m hopeful that 2023 is going to be a year of increase. That we’ll increase in fruitfulness. And if people come by to “thump” us… they’ll find fruitfulness not just in our number of estimates of giving but also in our less easily measured areas of discipleship. Like love of God and love of neighbor. 

I hope you’ll join us in service this Sunday to participate in Commitment Sunday where we’ll wrap up our stewardship season and collectively offer our estimates of giving to God. I hope you’ll come prayerfully prepared to give in a way that supports the ongoing mission and ministry of FUMCTC. And I hope you’ll come ready to bear fruit! 

Peace and Blessings,

Taylor Smith