In yesterday’s sermon, I mentioned that when we look at biblical examples of generosity, we see there are many ways to be generous. The book of Exodus shows God’s people sacrificially give their possessions and their skills. In the book of Acts, God’s people are generous with their money and in their hospitality.
People can live out generosity in different ways. But what motivates the many expressions of generosity? For the Christian, the answer is always the gospel. The gospel is the greatest embodiment of generosity in the history of the world: God sent his Son, Jesus, that we might live through him (1 John 4:9). Our prayer every Sunday reminds us of God’s generosity towards us:
Gracious God, everything we have comes from you. As we remember who you are and all you have done for us, enable us to be truly generous—with our money, our time, and all we are and have. Use what we give for your glory and the good of our city. Amen.
As you look ahead to this summer season, may I invite you to prayerfully consider one way you might start or strengthen your own practice of generosity? That might mean serving neighbors in need, volunteering in the church, or considering your financial giving. Whenever Christians practice generosity—in small and big ways—we get to experience the gospel and participate in God’s renewal of our city and world. It’s no wonder Jesus said that it’s more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).
In hope,
Pastor Bijan
Take the Church-Wide Survey
We invite you to take our brief, anonymous RWS Annual Congregational Survey—just five minutes of your time can make a lasting difference. We are near the end of our fifth year living out our renewed vision and values. This past year, our focus has been to help each other know God more deeply. Through the kind of community we build and the spiritual practices we embrace, we want to move from simply learning about God to living with God in every aspect of life.
How well did we meet our expectations for this area of focus and other core aspects of our church? Your voice matters. Each year, your feedback has helped shape our ministries, refine our priorities, and enable us to respond more faithfully to the needs of our church and city.
The survey will close on Wednesday, June 17. Please take a moment to share your thoughts today by clicking here.
Nominations for Elected Leaders are Open Now
As the church continues to grow, so does our need for leaders to serve as ruling elders or, in the mercy ministry, as deacons and deaconesses (affectionately known as “deeks”). So each year, we invite the church to pray for nominees, and for church members to submit their nominations online. This year, we have moved the nomination period to begin before the summer in order to accommodate an updated training and discernment process. Nominations for elders will be accepted during the month of June. Nominations for deacons and deaconesses will be accepted from June 1 through September 30.
Upcoming
- June 19 | Coffee Clubs
- June 21 | Mandarin Speaking Community Group
- June 25 | Grief & Loss Support
- June 25 | Frederick Douglass Houses
- June 28 | Prayer Walk
- July 1 | VBS Preparation Party
- July 12 | All Angels’ Community Meal Volunteering
Get Involved
| RWS Job Opening: Director of Youth Ministry RWS Job Opening: Youth Ministry Senior Coordinator Volunteer with WS Youth on Friday nights this fall. Apply to serve with West Side Kids! Listen to sermons on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and more. Serve at our welcome table for one Sunday a month at RWS. Subscribe to our Neighborhood Engagement Newsletter. HFNY: Find a place to volunteer this summer. Visit Hope For New York’s volunteer page to find a list of opportunities to serve across the five boroughs. |
