The Riester Family's Story of Generosity
New to Bloomington in August of 2019, we were searching for a church to call home and connect to. I found the contemporary service, Open Door, offered at the Buskirk Chumley. I was warmly welcomed by many members (Markus, Cheryl, Adam, and few others whose names fail me) and all three pastors (Teri, Donna, and Lisa) that day. That was awesome. So welcoming! I remember the sermon that Pastor Lisa preached that day on what it means to be a "New Creations in Christ." That sermon resonated so much with me as we had just come to Bloomington. I believe that God brought me to First that Sunday to bless our new beginning.
Our family continues to grow in our faith journey, stumbling along the way. With the great support of First Methodist, we are inspired to stretch and grow through our participation in the church. Our growth is not always simple and definitely comfortable, but in the end, I feel that we always come away with better skills and tools to bless those we encounter, daily, outside of the church. We are continually equipped to show up for others as Christ would have us show up.
Currently, our son, Cayden is working, growing his talents, many Sundays in the Audio and Sound Booth. Kathy is supported in her role at IU through collaboration with Pastor Lisa and is helping serve here at First as a member of the Contemporary Service Launch Committee. I have been called to lead the Outreach Committee here at First and I have spent time coordinating and planning ways our members can participate and show up as Christians and members of First at both church-sponsored events and community-sponsored events.
God gives us gifts - talents, skills, abilities, and assets. I have always taken an attitude of ‘how can I leave things better than I found them’ and to live well by doing well for others. For if we can focus our energy on generosity and service to others, we in turn will be blessed with the satisfaction of blessing others, and that always feels pretty amazing!
My confirmation verse was, "God Loves a cheerful giver." I always liked a song refrain that added "Give it all you got!" To me, that means to do your best with where you are and what you have at that moment, to bless others.
I like the Tale of the Starfish, which is not in the Bible, but strikes on the same messages as “Do unto Others and Love your Neighbor.”
A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.
She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!”
The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied,
“I made a difference for that one!”
The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought about what she had done and said. Inspired, he joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved.
— Chad Riester, Chair of Outreach