For our final Sunday of our Stewardship Season, focussed on God’s gift of “a future with hope,” Rev. Cari preached on 1 Thessalonians 1:1-7. This earliest greeting of the epistles in the New Testament contains Paul’s first “go” at the three theological virtues.

Relying on the work of the Rev. Dr. Rodger Nishioka, whose presentation both Cari and Gabrielle attended the previous weekend at Evolve, Cari explores how this text is a stewardship text.

These three practices, faith, love and hope, are the measures Paul uses to commend the church in Thessalonica for their active participation in God’s purpose. They are not “one-off” gifts, but practices that endure, and our calling is to continue to practice them.