Stewardship Thought    
There is a sense in which the human Jesus longs for the crowds to go away – to take their needs, their expectations and leave him in peace. He even retires to a deserted place to be by himself and recover from all the pressures. However, when they determined to follow him, he had compassion. When there seemed to be nothing to give them, he still said to his disciples not to send them away. He received the little that the disciples could find among them and that was enough. The people even picked over what was left and took that away with them, so great was their hope and their need. Sometimes we, the church feel we have nothing left, but God can take even our nothingness and transform it into enough.

Prayer of Thanksgiving          
Live in us, O God,
that we may sing in joy
as you give us life, over and over again.
Our voices are raised in thankfulness
as we see the majesty of your mercy to us
and to all creation.
Our lives leap as the deer
as we know your promises
and the gift of your lightness of being.
We celebrate all that you bring
to every day and every moment.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.