As we approach the second week of the 2009 Marble Stewardship Campaign, I want to talk to you for a minute about the importance of your presence at Marble.

One way that you can support your church in 2010 is by pledging to be here. By "being here," I mean regularly attending church events: worship, education, small groups, concerts, service opportunities. You support your church when you bring yourself here, body and spirit.

A lot of people feel like we don't need to show up at church to find God. In principle, I agree. God doesn't live in churches only—how boring would that be for God! In fact, one might argue, based on Jesus' example, that God rarely spends time in churches. Jesus went to religious gatherings primarily to critique them for their insularity and hypocrisy, so maybe, you think, we can know God without going to church that much.

I suppose. But Jesus didn't get to a place where he could critique the religious establishment except by being a part of it. Jesus was a regular presence at the synagogue!

Besides, the importance of your presence at church is not really about whether you think the church is the best or only vehicle for your relationship to God. Being at church—your presence here—is a response to God's presence in your life. Our presence is a sign of our gratitude for God's presence. We show up here, to worship, pray, eat, learn, etc. because God shows up for us. Also, your presence at church is about YOU being present for others. A life in God is never a solitary affair—to be with God is always to be in relationships with others—sticky, messy, sometimes cumbersome, but always rich relationships. You may think every Sunday about whether YOU need to be at church. How often do you ask whether someone there needs you? They do. Always.

Give the gift of presence to Marble. Show up on Sundays and other days. Show up here because God shows up for you and because God needs you to show up to be there for others.