Dear church,
Starting this Sunday, the Stewardship Team at Grace will be sharing a gift with the whole congregation. Not to spoil it, but the gift is the book, The Serviceberry, written by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Kimmerer is a botanist, author, and member of the Potawatomi tribe. As a student of nature, she helps us explore what plants and trees teach us about economics, generosity, and how we live with what we have.
This is a wonderful brief video where Kimmerer speaks about the ways the serviceberry inspired her to write this book and to live differently.
We as a Stewardship Team read this book together over the past few months. We found it to be an accessible, yet very profound reflection on the power of generosity in the face of market capitalism. We loved it so much that we have decided to invite the whole church to read it together during the month of November. We’re calling it an “All-Church Read” and the idea is that, throughout November, we will all read it and Pastor Reed and I will reflect on it in worship. And then, on Sunday, November 22, we will gather together for the forum hour to discuss the book and how it shaped, challenged, and/or inspired us.
In honor of the serviceberry and its natural practice of generosity, the Stewardship Team is offering this book to everyone in our congregation as a gift. Pick one up after worship, starting this weekend (they’ll also be available Oct. 25 and Nov. 1), read it throughout the next few weeks, and join us in reflecting on abundance and generosity on November 22.
In Christ,
Pastor Sarah