Do you think of yourself as one of TJMC’s “stewards?” Is that an idea you’ve ever even considered? Is it even clear to you what that might mean? “Steward” is one of those old-fashioned words that doesn’t show up in everyday conversation all that much, but at its most basic it refers to someone who takes care of someone else or that someone else’s things. Think of a wine steward, or a steward on a long-distance train.

So … again … are you one of TJMC’s stewards? If you warmly greet people on a Sunday morning (perhaps especially new folks but long-time members as well), if you do what you can to make sure that this is a welcoming place then yes, you are a steward. If you volunteer in one of our religious education classes, helping our young people discover and develop themselves, then you are a steward. If you fold the

Orders of Service, or you keep the snack plates filled (and then cleaned!) in the Social Hall, or you sing in the choir, or you invite friends to come with you, or you make a financial pledge, or you sneak in from time to time and clean something with no one knowing … then you are a steward.

The word may be pretty much out of use, but its meaning is embodied just about anywhere you look. All around us there are people who are actively taking care of some aspect or another of our beloved community – the building, the people, the spirit. Take a look in the mirror – you’ll see a steward there, too. One of the goals of our yearlong Stewardship Team is to help each of us to understand the way(s) we already are serving as stewards for this community we love, and to discern new ways we might serve in the future.

One more thing worth noting: the definition of steward this column began with said that it is “someone who takes care of someone else or someone else’s things.” Very often we think about TJMC from the perspective of what we get out of it or what matters most to us. And that perspective is important.

Yet it’s also true that this is not our congregation – ultimately we are the caretakers, the stewards, for those who will come after us. The 15 women and men who created the Jefferson Unitarian Church back in 1943 weren’t doing it just for themselves. They came together and created this church so that there would be a home in Charlottesville for liberal religion not just in their time but in the future as well. They created this community, and cared for it, so that it would be here for us today.

And that is an important aspect of our stewardship today – taking care of this community not just for what it gives to us but so that it will continue to provide a home for liberal religion for those who will come after us. Do you think of yourself as one of TJMC’s stewards? Is it something you’ve even ever considered? What would it mean to you if you did?