To follow Jesus means living simply on the earth, living lightly like an itinerant or sojourner. It means not being bound by possessions and a lifestyle of wasteful consumption. In Jesus’ day, the global population was no more than 300 million people. In the twenty-first century, it is over eight billion. While Jesus did not specifically emphasize creation care, he did teach a lifestyle that opposed the mad accumulation of wealth and material possessions.  Educator Elizabeth Anne Seton (1774-1821) summed up the necessary message for our time when she said, “Live simply so that others may simply live.”

Pastor Mary’s message is based on I Timothy 6: 6-12, 17-19 and the “Generosity Prayer.”