Dream Big

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” –Eleanor Roosevelt

I wonder about your dreams—the things that you hope for—the possibilities that color your imaginations and keep you awake at night. I am also curious about the things that disturb you—that churn in your gut and that move you to action. Our dreams matter. They are the core of who we are and what we value.

During our fall stewardship season, I want us to remember that our life together as God’s people began as a dream—a really big dream! The dream is a love story—a really big love story. God woos a man named Abram: “Hey, Abram. I’m God, and I want to be your God. I want to bless you, and I want to make you a great nation. Even though you’re old and can’t have kids, your kids will number like the stars. I promise. And I want to make you famous—to make your name great” [and this is where the dream gets really big] God says, “I want to use you and your soon-to-be big family, to woo and to bless—everybody else—all the families of the earth.”

That’s our origin story. We are Abraham’s big family. We are the people called to woo and to bless. Jesus was the embodiment of God’s dream. He walked the shores of the Sea of Galilee, the dusty roads of Palestine, the crowded streets of Jerusalem, and he said, “Come with me. Let’s live God’s dream.” And the dreamers followed.

This stewardship season I want us to remember that our life together in this place has been shaped by amazing people who dared to dream. On Sunday mornings in October and November, we will tell stories of the Bible’s big dreamers—stories that will help us understand and live into our commitment to support the church with our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness. We will tell stories of FUMC’s dreamers, past and present. Their dreams not only impact our lives today, but also inspire our dreams for the future.

As we think about our commitment to be the people of God together, I hope that we will all prayerfully consider our financial commitment for 2024. Our dreams to color the world with beauty and joy—our convictions to alleviate suffering, fight injustice, and inspire hope—all of these things depend on our commitment to live lives marked by grace and generosity. Enclosed is our estimate of giving card. On Sunday mornings in October and November, we will have the opportunity to bring our pledge cards forward as an act of worship. We worship God, who woos and blesses. We celebrate God, who calls us to do the same.

Thank you for your commitment to dream big in this place. I am blessed to be your pastor, and I’m glad we’re in this together!