Gifts from Heaven ... Rivers of Light (1) Newsletter article

 Article

• Author: Pastor Stephen J. Cornils is pastor at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, Minn.
• Updated: 03/12/2008
• Copyright: Mount Olivet Lutheran Church,
  5025 Knox Ave S,
  Minneapolis, MN 5541 55419-1095

Mount Olivet Lutheran Church's pastoral staff wrote five articles for the congregation's newsletter, the Mount Olivet Weekly Visitor, for this stewardship campaign. Following is Stephen Cornils' contribution, which appeared in the July 31, 2003, edition.

For a full overview of this stewardship series, click on
Mount Olivet stewardship.

Gifts from Heaven ... Rivers of Life

Picture a rushing stream -- a flowing river -- changing and charging from liquid to light, cascading through our lives. This river of light originates in the headwaters of heaven, from God our creator, the Father of light. God's river flows freely and faithfully with generosity and grace, generating luminous expressions of love and hope.

This vivid image of a river of light flowing from the true word of God is meant to inspire our worship and to increase a flow of generosity from all of God's people:

"Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light ... He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures" (James 1:17-18, The Message translation).

During the next several weeks, your pastors encourage you to experience again a fresh flow of heavenly love and light by faithfully participating in weekly worship, stewardship dinners, personal devotion and prayer. We will discover that God intends to show us off as the crown of all his creatures -- through our living, loving and giving! As part of your daily prayers, I invite you to pray the refrain of our stewardship theme hymn:

Shine, Jesus, shine, fill this land with the Father's glory;
Blaze, Spirit, blaze, set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river, flow, flood the nations with love and mercy;
Send forth your Word, Lord, and let there be light!

Let us go with the flow!

Gifts from Heaven ... Rivers of Light (2)
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Gifts from Heaven ... Rivers of Light (3)
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Gifts from Heaven ... Rivers of Light (4)
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Gifts from Heaven ... Rivers of Light (5)
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