Diocese of Montana Newsletter, December 2020
Diocesan Calendar
School for Deacons - Dillon or via Zoom - December 4th-5th
Standing Committee via Zoom - December 9th
Safeguarding God's Children, St. Peter's live & Zoom - December 9th
Safeguarding God's People, St. Peter's live & Zoom - December 16th
Christmas Day Diocesan Office closed - December 25th
Vocational Deacons Annual Activity/CE Reports Due - December 26th
Priests Annual Activity/CE Reports Due - December 31st
The Rt. Rev. Marty Stebbins
Talents
In one of Jesus’ parables read this November, the master gives three of his slaves stewardship over his wealth, parceling out according to his perception of their abilities. It is a cautionary tale of the sin of stinginess and refusing to be good stewards of resources given. In the parable, the talent is roughly equivalent to 15 years of wages. Two of the slaves invested their money. If you have ever put money in an investment company or in venture capital, there is always an understanding that even the initial investment can be lost. These two slaves risked everything and could have come up empty-handed. But they knew their master’s business and regarded him to be a good and loving master. And they knew how to be good stewards, learning from their master’s trust and generosity. Even if they did not double their money (which they did in this parable), they had a trust in their master that they were doing what he expected them to do. Good stewards do not hoard money or resources. Good stewards invest their resources and time into the local community to leverage more resources. It is the same concept of the parable of stone soup (for another reflection). (Click below to continue reading)Click here to read the complete newsletter, including the following:
- Diocesan Calendar
- Talents, by The Rt. Rev. Marty Stebbins
- Around the Diocese
- Camp Marshall News
- The Gallatin Valley Interfaith Association: An Example of Interfaith Connections & Episcopal Engagement, by The Rev. Valerie Webster
- Unity in a Fractious Time, by The Rev. Jody McDevitt
- Episcopal Relief & Development: Gifts for Life
- News from The Episcopal Church
- Spiritual Formation for Racial Healing: a new course on Zoom, beginning Dec. 14, 2020
- Learn more about ending hunger in Montana: two Zoom conference opportunities
- Finance Corner by Barb Hagen: Training opportunities
- A Prayer for Putting on a Mask
- Christ Church Members Providing Senior Lunches in Sheridan
- Holy Spirit Missoula Online Holiday Market