Stewardship Message from Steve Siler -
When Meredith and I were first married, we lived week to week, and so whenever we went to church I'd make sure not to put too much money in my wallet. That way I wouldn't have to give too much. I assured myself that one day off in the future when we were making more money then I would give to the church..

One Sunday our pastor Larry Keene, who hardly ever preached about money said, "If you won't give a dime when you only have a dollar, what makes you think you will give ten dollars when you have one hundred; or one hundred when you have a thousand?".

As I thought about it I knew he was right. Meredith and I talked that evening and decided we would begin tithing to the church. That was twenty-seven years ago. It truly changed not only how I felt about giving to the church, but how I felt about generosity and resources in general. .

Scripture says God loves a cheerful giver. So I guess I could give because it makes God happy. But the irony for me is how happy it makes me. Remember I was the guy who made sure he only had two singles in his wallet on Sundays. It now truly brings me joy whenever I write a tithe check to the church..

I heard recently that only 3% of all church attending Christians tithe? I have no idea how many tithing members we have at Second. But I do know this. If everyone at Second gave 10% of their income to the church we wouldn't even need a stewardship campaign. The stewardship committee could just spend all of its time deciding how to give away our surplus. Now that would truly be joyful! - Steve Siler.

Stewardship Message Brian Overton -
I have a confession to make. I never, ever give money to NPR. I listen to them for almost an hour every day, have for years and years, but I've managed to resist them all this time. Not only do I not give them money, I've even figured out that you can flip back and forth between the AM and FM channels and avoid most of their fund raising efforts. Basically, I'm a terrible person, and I expect to lose some dear friends over this revelation.

Fortunately, I'm not all bad. I just need a little more inspiration than some before I open my wallet. While I do admire that only NPR is brave and smart enough to bring you in depth coverage of the Mongolian hip hop scene (actual NPR story), what really moves me is the opportunity to support an institution that has changed my life. We all know about the amazing work so many of us do in the community, the young people inspired to ministry, the incredible music, the youth and childrens programs, the thought provoking sermons – but for me it's not any one specific thing. It's how all of those other things flow from the fact that Second is a place that is sincerely trying it's best to do the work of God.

It's an absolutely unique place in my life. Other settings can be dominated by politics, calculations about motivation and relative standing, cynicism and self interest. But Second is the one place where I can leave all that behind, let down my guard, and discover what it feels like to trust that I'm surrounded by people trying to do the right thing.

This was brought home to me in a powerful way recently when I attended my first session meeting. I didn't grow up Presbyterian, but even I was aware of our reputation for being somewhat dry and beauracratic – forming committees, making motions, reading minutes. And while I'm in the process of learning that sometimes the work of the church does get to that point eventually, I'll never forget that when Jim opened our meeting up, he lit a candle to remind us that we were gathered in the name of God, and Jesus was present. I almost get choked up thinking about how awesome that moment was for me. We were there, not to get ahead, but to open ourselves up to God – to love, to each other, to the world around us.

And isn't that why all of us are here? To bring whatever God represents to us into our lives and the lives of those around us. And as we do that, amazing things happen. Things that I want to see CONTINUING to happen. Which is why I'm now asking you to join me – even me! - in making regular donations to this church. Because without our support, this incredible source of love and inspiration would be lost to us. But with our support, the work goes on, expands, bringing love, healing, and fellowship, to our home community, and serving as an inspiring example of what a Christian church can be, at a time when, thanks to so many other, not so inspiring examples, so many are ready to give up. So please, even though we're not offering any mugs or tote bags, consider what you can do and make a pledge. Ushers are standing by. - Brian Overton.

Every Christian possesses both natural talents and spiritual gifts. Our natural abilities come to us at physical birth and are developed through life. Our spiritual gifts are imparted by the Holy Spirit, enabling us to minister to others in behalf of Christ. We encourage you to identify your talents, and ask God to show you how to use them for His glory.

Stewardship Message Jeanalice Brickman -
Introverted though I am, I was asked by Thad Huguley to share my testimony about how and why my family makes the decision to give to the church.

If you don't know already, Jane and I, with our son Joel, ended up here only in mid-October 2008 upon relocating from Findlay Ohio, having chosen another CPA to continue our public accounting practice. I had only a "handshake" understanding for a tax and financial planning public accounting position here in Nashville. We took quite a few risks, to say the least.

This church community's mission statement (on its web site) opened the door from more than 450 miles away and it gave us hope. And in finding ourselves actually here and a part of this community, we are truly appreciative of this church's emphasis on using and sharing resources, many kinds of resources.

I do believe that is what we are called to do: share, give, use … not keep or hoard. It seems to be human nature to do the latter—to stash away, hang-onto, or take care of only yourself--choices usually made in fear, if you delve deep enough.

I also believe we are God's hands here on Earth—from one of my favorite children's books. Finally, I believe it is the way of Christ (through the love of Christ) to give without wanting anything in return. "Want" versus "need" is how we try to frame many issues in our family. We're definitely not perfect, but we do try to make decisions and choices by using a "need" criteria, as opposed to a "want" criteria.

Even when the difference it makes seems negligible, too small to make any impact, it's also important to remember that we are part of this community we know as Second Presbyterian Church. We are on this journey together and the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts.. - Jeanalice M. Brickman.

Stewardship Message Stokes Peebles - view video
Like many of you, I grew up going to church and being exposed to the gospel through Sunday School lessons and worship services. I enjoyed Sunday School and learning the stories of the Bible, but never really made the final connection about how Christianity applied to me. The personal importance of Jesus and his message became very clear to me in the fall of my freshman year in high school. During September and October of that year, I became acutely aware of the impermanent nature of the world in which we live. I was especially struck by the importance placed on worldly objects that disintegrate over time. When I watched commercials on television or walked into stores and saw advertisements for clothes, furniture, or pretty much anything else, I became depressed because I was for the first time aware of how much stock we placed in these things that were really meaningless and wouldn't last. Even more importantly, I realized that we as humans don't last and die, and I struggled terribly with what happens at and after death. I couldn't understand how we could be born, only to end up rotting in the ground after death. I became more and more depressed because I became more and more focused on death. I couldn't eat and lost about 15 pounds over those two months, a lot to lose when I only weighed 140 pounds to start with. I had trouble concentrating on my school work because that also seemed meaningless.

My preoccupation and fear of death ironically culminated on the night before Halloween when our school went to see the play Everyman at UT's Clarence Brown Theater in Knoxville where I grew up. Everyman is a 16th century English play that opens with God complaining about how humans have become too absorbed in material wealth and riches to follow him. God summons Death, his messenger, and tells him to go to Everyman. Upon hearing this, Everyman is distressed and tried to bribe Death and ask for more time, but Death denies this request. The play continued on, but as you can imagine, given what I had been thinking for the previous 2 months, I couldn't concentrate on it any further. I sat in my seat at the play and cried. I knew I needed help in the worst way and didn't know if there was truly a way out.

When I got home that night, I again cried and finally went to the person who I had always been able to count on at every phase of my life, my mother. I woke her up late in the night and she patiently listened to me between my sobbing and shaking. She didn't try to stop me by saying everything would be all right, but when I finally finished, what she said changed my life forever. Stokes, you have told me that you are a Christian. If you are a Christian, then Jesus Christ is the answer. Jesus taught us not to be concerned with the material aspects of life, which as you have learned are transient and meaningless. What is important are other people and Jesus's promise to us that if we believe in him, we shall not perish, but have eternal life.

What my mom told me opened my eyes and for the first time the things that I had heard in Sunday School and Church for my 14 years of life suddenly gave me hope that I was missing. The old hymn took on new meaning - Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine, oh what a foretaste of glory devine. And from the fourth verse, Perfect submission all is at rest, I in my savior am happy and blest. At that point, I turned over my troubles to God and have never worried about death again. There was no question, that that night changed my life. I was grateful to God for having sent me to see Everyman, and most grateful to my mom for giving me Christ. - Stokes Peebles.