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Stewardship in Action: Making the Most of a New Season
Together
Beloved
Saint Markans,
As you’ve
heard in Tim’s recent sermons and Provost messages, we’re entering a
new season together. We have an exciting program year ahead of us
that includes new opportunities to deepen our commitment to Saint
Mark’s, each other, and to those our faith compels us to serve in the
community outside our doors.
As we
begin to put those opportunities into faithful practice, three themes are guiding our work: Hope, Unity
and Reconciliation.
We’re
Planting Seeds of Hope. In John’s Gospel, versus 14:1 and 16: 33, Jesus says,
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In
the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome
the world.” His call to believe in Him and not let our hearts be
troubled is an active form of hope. That means living out our faith
with confidence in God’s promises and having a hopeful outlook that
impacts not just our present circumstances but our future too. This
expression of hope is particularly energizing as we look to the
months ahead when Saint Mark’s plans to call a new Dean.
We’re
Forging New Expressions of Unity. We’re all united in faith and in
our love of this congregation. So, in these challenging times, we can
rely on unity as we celebrate our many traditions, while openly and
honestly assessing our current and future needs. Just as importantly,
we’re also called to unity when it comes to
choosing the best path forward to understanding and serving the needs
of those we meet outside our doors. It will require we widen the lens
of our focus together, to consider how we can best use our faith,
energy, financial resources and our beloved Cathedral itself to meet
those needs tomorrow and for the longer term.
We’re
Walking Pathways of Reconciliation. There’s healing we need to do as
well. We can do that together by seeking understanding where there
has been division, by taking steps toward mending relationships,
letting worship lead us to action, and by
allowing what we do together on Sunday to fuel acts of justice,
mercy, and love. We can do it also by reconciling the passing of our
former seasons with the season we’re in now, and by having hearts
open to our seasons yet to come.
The
forward path we walk together promises to be spiritually rewarding,
if not always easy. Change never is, but when the Spirit calls us
into greater transformation, that Spirit is always opening
up new horizons of possibility for what we might become
together. To realize those possibilities, we need you.
You’ll
soon receive detailed information in the mail about our 2026 Annual
Giving Campaign. In that mailing, you’ll find a pledge card, as well
as information about our new online giving system for those who
prefer to give electronically. You’ll see information about our
specific revenue goals for the year ahead, and guidance for how you
can help us achieve our goal.
But to
be very clear, our goal isn’t primarily to fundraise. Our goal,
instead, is to chart a course together for our Cathedral, one that
relies on what we can all give financially and, just as importantly,
what we can give with our energy, our time, our focus, and our shared
commitment. I hope you’ll agree with me that our 2026 pledges aren’t
the commitment. Our pledges are a reflection, and just one
expression, of our hope, our renewed expression of unity, and our
reconciliation of past seasons with the wonderful season we’re
stepping into together now.
Thank
you so much for your faithfulness. Your presence, your service and
your financial support sustain us today and will continue to carry us
forward together as we imagine and plan for new possibilities while
loving God, loving our neighbors and doing all we can to heal the
world.
Mike
Shepherd
Vestry
Member - Stewardship Chair
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