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Reflections on Stewardship - Rooted in Abundance
By Jack Wood, a co-founder of Growing Together Community Gardens, a group of eight sustainable gardens in the Fargo, ND and Moorhead, MN community
Jack Wood is passionate about gardening, teaching, and helping others. The gardens at Growing Together address food insecurity by cultivating volunteers, mentors, and leaders who respect and honor the integrity of one another and the earth. For Wood, the idea of being Rooted in Abundance means, βBeing thankful for the gifts that God gives me and being able to share these talents with my family as well as the larger community. When I think about the word rooted, I think about something that is at the core of our existence, the thoughts and actions that are part of our everyday life and that grow from God as the source of life.β
From this trust that our lives are deeply rooted in God, Wood believes we can give ourselves fully and abundantly to others without holding back. He sees this in the volunteers who work in the community gardens. Through planting, nurturing, and harvesting, they discover in fresh ways how they are rooted in a source of life that they did not create but that they do share and participate in. This, in turn, makes them generous and giving people throughout their lives.
From long-time community residents to new immigrant citizens, Wood says, βI have seen an amazing abundance, gratitude, and generosity in people who, before they came together to garden, didnβt know each other but now have grown into a family that cares for one another and shares their life with each other. I think that gratitude and generosity work together to make us better human beings.β
Reflect: How do gratitude and generosity work together in your life?
Rooted in abundance: Stewardship Update
Thank you to the 42 families who have joined our Vestry leadership and turned in your pledge commitments! Our 2024 pledging goal is $215,000, which represents about 62% of the income needed for our budget of $350,000 (additional income comes from interest from our endowment, rental, and non-pledged plate donations.) If you havenβt yet, please turn in your pledge form as this helps us make important decisions as we plan for a balanced budget.
Please return your 2024 pledge card or pledge online by THIS Sunday, November 19.
View all our Stewardship & Pledge information by clicking the button below.
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