Stewardship Testimony

Jeannie Page

I believe that stewardship is about responding to God’s abundance by making good choices in how we live, spend our time and money, and decide where to invest our energy.  Since I became a member of Emmanuel 8 years ago my faith has grown and so has my commitment to being a good steward.  Many people have influenced my spiritual growth, but in my 5 minutes this morning I would particularly like to mention 5 Emmanuel women who I consider mentors, role models and sisters in faith.

I look up to women like Anne Squire, whose steadfast faith and strong sense of social justice has been a beacon of light and hope.  When we were preparing a program for Teleos, Anne helped me understand that we are living in a time of Empire and how our good fortune in the western world can mean that others in the developing world are living in conditions of poverty and oppression.  This led Iain and I to attend a workshop this summer entitled “The Empire has No Clothes”, in which we explored the effects of empire and God’s call for a better world, where everyone has enough to live on.  This has shaped my view of the world, the purchases I make and the way I travel.  We are so fortunate to have wise elders like Anne in our midst.

Marg Armstrong is another woman whom I consider a mentor and a friend.  Marg is a wonderful example of faith in action.  Not only is Marg a lay preacher, but she is also a social activist whose heart is in the community.  Because of Marg I became active in the Social Action Committee, and learned about all the ways that the hands and feet of Emmanuel are involved in social outreach.  Through Social Action, we support Habitat for Humanity, South East Ottawa Community Health Centre and local emergency food cupboards; we help gather school supplies for youth in our neighbourhoods, and we are a supporting member of the Multifaith Housing Initiative.  Marg is a good steward of God’s abundant gifts, and I am so grateful for the gifts she has shared with me.

I have been in the choir since I joined Emmanuel, when Lee Langner welcomed both Iain and I with open arms.  Emmanuel is well known to have a strong music Ministry, and Lee is the heart of that Ministry.  There is an anthem that we sing that goes:  “like instruments in a symphony, each one unique but all belong, with God we join into harmony, together we are strong.” Lee chooses music that enriches our worship and under her direction our voices blend in harmony and praise to God.  Thank you Lee, for your gift of music and bringing people together, and all you have taught me.

Over the past year I have had the opportunity to work with Patty Kavcic on the Worship Committee, and I have truly enjoyed getting to know her.  Patty has a strong faith, a wonderful gift of hospitality, and is deeply devoted to making our worship life at Emmanuel rich and meaningful.  From Patty I have learned that everyone is important and has a place at God’s table.  Thank you Patty, for your love and kindness, and for your faithful leadership on the Worship Committee.

I could not talk about my faith journey at Emmanuel and lessons learned about stewardship without mentioning Christine Williams.  Christine has gently nudged me along paths I had never travelled before.  When she encouraged Iain and I to go to El Salvador in 2008 we experienced a deep feeling of community with the adults and youth from Emmanuel United we travelled with as well as our brothers and sisters at Iglesia Bautista Emmanuel. We learned about the realities of life in a country where most of the people are living in the shadow of empire, their land exploited and water contaminated by multinational corporations, some from Canada, who extract the wealth and leave the spoils behind.  When our partner church called for folks from Emmanuel to come back as International Observers for their presidential election, Iain and I returned to El Salvador this March.  Again at Christine’s urging Iain and I attended a workshop for Mission Trip Leaders last weekend.  Who knows where God will call us next?  Christine has taught me about Fair Trade, global partners, and that tithing is not just about money, but also about time and talent.  I feel so blessed to be part of the Emmanuel family, and to have Christine as a mentor and friend.

There are many others at Emmanuel who have touched my life, enriched my faith, and influenced my decisions about how I spend my time, money and energy.  With so many examples of good stewardship, Emmanuel is a wealthy congregation indeed, and I thank God for our abundant life.