Together, Love Overflows - Rooted in Community

by Mary Joyce, Ministry Board

11/2/26

Good morning, Welcome to November! Why does it always feel like you actually have not gained an hour!

When Sarah asked me to tell my Stewardship Story one word popped into my head – Community.

This Community has been my Christian Home since I was born. I was baptizing and confirmed here at St Pauls UCC. My Grandparents, my parents and my husband Joe and I were married in this church. Raised our four children at St Paul’s UCC.

My love for this church community is deep within me.

My parents were my Christian mentors they both were very active members over their lifetime and probably were on every committee, there is, and there were even more back then.

My Mom along with her committee members prepared the church each Sunday for worship and on Sunday sang in the choir. Some of her friends are still making incredible music in choir still today. My Dad could be found pretty much every Sunday either in the sound room or ushing people into church and took pride in helping build community by serving on the Church Council.

It was a community like we have today, loving, giving and caring.

At a very young age I was embraced by Mrs. Beasley my Kindergarten Sunday school teacher. She was my first strong memory of our Christian Community here at St Paul’s UCC. She was such a loving kind person. She made such an impression on me that most of my adult life has been centered around Christian education for our children.

Whether assisting with the Children’s Music program in my early twenties to being the youth Bell Choir Director, teaching Sunday school for several years and being a member of the Chistian Education Committees. More recently I have found my path to lead in teaching Milestone lessons, assisting with Chapel time, helping to welcome children into their sacred place and having the pleasure of serving all of you as a member of the Ministry Board.

We all know our children will bring this Community into the future. Which is so important to me, probably because I have lived through times when our community has struggled.

Being a Christian mentor to a child is important and is a place where I personally find joy especially when a child learns and understands the ways of Christ and the Community around them. Children just see the world in such simple terms, there is so much to learn from our children.

As I close, take a moment, look around, look to the person to your right, look to the person to your left, look at the beautiful windows and walls that surround you, look up to the insulated roof above us. This is YOUR community, our community. It is not just a community it is a strong growing community embracing the future.

This community needs all of us mentally, physically and to what you can provide financially.

My stewardship story is simple; be the community take part in the community and continue to see the community we have all built, grow into the future. And most of all be a Christian mentor to our children.

May the peace of God be with you all today and every day.

Thank you, for letting me share my passion for St Paul’s UCC.

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