It is that time of year when the Vestry of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church begins to plan for the upcoming year. If there is anything I have learned in my thirty years of pastoral ministry, it is that a church is only as healthy and effective as its membership chooses to be (this, of course, includes her clergy).

What kind of unity, camaraderie, and connection a body has will be greatly influenced and affected by the organic ways in which we worship, serve, and give of the gifts we have from the “Father of Lights”. Stewardship is all-encompassing, but attendance at Mass and our time in acts of service don’t pay the everyday bills. And yet, all aspects of stewardship to which we are called are interrelated in the teaching of Holy Scripture. To pick any area where we “use our gifts” to the neglect of other “giving” reveals confusion or spiritual dysfunction in our thinking.

Jesus: “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Last year I was greatly encouraged by the number of new pledges we received. To me, it showed a growing “buy-in” to what God is doing among us. Through Christ and the Holy Spirit, he has given us the gift of unity to preserve and to grow it (Eph 4:1-7). He has given and raised up leadership to “shepherd” our parish family in the priorities of the God of heaven; to equip the entire membership of Christ in using their gifts together.

We have many faithful people worshipping, serving, and giving in multiple areas in our parish. However, we will be limited in our effectiveness by how many worshippers among us contribute to the life and mission of the church.

As St. Matthew’s grows in being self-sufficient monetarily (not needing to dip into our savings or endowments to pay budgeted operating expenses) this reveals signs of a “healthy body”. In 2024, there has been some marked growth in our “plate and pledge” and other regular monetary giving sent to the church office from our members and attenders. Thank you for your generosity in worshipping your Lord and loving the covenant family of St. Mathew’s Episcopal Church in 2024.

That said, I would ask us all to take some time over the next month to come before the Lord in quietness and meditation to open our hearts afresh to his calling in our lives. Where is He calling you to serve more regularly in worship and ministry with and through our church? Where is He urging you to prioritize your discipleship in an affluent society with all the benefits, freedoms, and opportunities that exist; good things, that can distract and derail our spiritual life and commitments if not examined and occasionally reassessed? Where is He asking you to trust Him more by the amount and commitment of financial support for your covenant family of Christ and our mission together?

No member has every gift, nor does all the responsibility fall on a few who are “invaluable” were we to lose them. No. Jesus wants all of us to “give up our life, to find it”, and while this can be a frightening thought, it actually frees us up to welcome a growing peace, joy, and healing in our lives. An unevaluated, busy, and successful life can never provide those intangible things that we can neither earn or purchase. Transformation is a work of the Spirit that can be pursued and welcomed or ignored and placated.

Christ calls us with open arms.

See you Sunday!

Fr. Tom

Upcoming Schedule

Worship

Adult Christian Ed Class Sunday, 9 AM.

Choir Meet/Practice
Wednesdays, 4:30 PM, in the choir/organ loft

All-Saints Day Mass
Friday, Nov 1, 11 AM