Some of you reading this turned in your pledge card on Sunday. Hooray! Some of you didn't, and your only comfort is that you're not alone: we've received 300 cards (we expect 850)!

Pledging to church is not the first thing on your mind these days, I know. If any of you saw me Sunday, I was filling out my card on the chancel during worship. Very bad form, I know.

For those of you who haven't pledged, the easiest thing is to pledge online at www.marblechurch.org. The church needs your pledge to know how to budget responsibly for 2010. If we don't know what we expect to receive, we can't plan effective ministry. So get on it after you read this!

This last stewardship email discusses your pledge of service. How are you pledging to serve in 2010?

The service pledge has been a confusing part of the stewardship campaign. Prayers? OK, I can pray. Presence? Be at church, got it. Gifts? We know giving money is important. But service? Do you mean service TO the church or service OUTSIDE the church? And if it's the latter, how is that pledge supporting Marble?

Pledging service is you making a pledge to be faithful to your commitment to be a disciple of Jesus. It's not about Marble, not directly. Jesus modeled for us what it looks like to serve: giving love to those who might benefit from our giving, particularly those who are suffering. Jesus served. And to us, he said, "you who wish to be great, will serve."

Your pledge of service this year might take different forms:

1. Providing regular care for an aging relative or a young family member or neighbor
2. Donating food weekly or monthly to an anti-hunger program
3. Teaching Sunday School each week
4. Volunteering regularly for Habitat for Humanity
5. Volunteering in your child's classroom weekly
6. Driving a friend to a doctor's appointment each month
7. Visiting a neighbor who lives alone every week
8. Ushering at a Marble's worship services each week
9. Voluteering at a domestic violence shelter once a month
10. Doing one additional household chore each week

It doesn't matter whether your service is IN or OUTSIDE of your congregation. The most important parts of serving are 1) You are committed to it and passionate about it. 2) You are meeting needs as defined by the person receiving your service. 3) You are growing in humility, love, and compassion with God's help, through your service.

Pledge to serve. It's pledge that's not TO the church, but to Christ who is head of this and every church. In this way, it's the most important pledge you make.