Walk in Love
” and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” – Ephesians 5:2
To the seasoned Episcopalian, among many other denominations, these words are a weekly reminder and invitation at the beginning of the Offertory, to bring ourselves along with our offerings of time, talent and treasure to be placed upon the altar. We are beseeched to give of ourselves as Christ would, to walk with Him, with our family, friends and neighbors; to build community in love and care for each other, and to be a testament to the Good News. This walk is not simply the physical placing of one foot in front of the other, but a journey of the heart and spirit. And one of the most beautiful parts of this journey is that we never have to do it alone! It is being carried out by millions across our world, as it has been for thousands of years. It may not always be easy; it requires prayer, discernment and surrender. We are each asked to break ourselves open to do the work He has given us to do; which looks different for each of us. I am asked to give of the fruits I have been given, not of my neighbors, or the person’s across the aisle, or the choir leader’s. Whether you give of your time, talent, treasure, or all three, remember, this is not a competition.
At Holy Family this season, we are going to be focusing in on this important little phrase, “Walk in Love,” and what that can look like practically in our lives. Fr. Tom recently related the love of our community as “showing up” for each other. So in this season of change, abundance, prayer and giving, reflect on your journey, and how you can Walk in Love, and how your gifts can be gathered with those of many, to do God’s work in our community and world.
In His Service, Carrie Wilson, Stewardship Chair
The Details
The 2024 Pledge Drive will run for 6 weeks, beginning on Oct. 13 with a kickoff luncheon provided by the Stewardship Committee. Anyone wishing to share in the sweetness of the season is welcome to bring a dessert to share. We will conclude with an Ingathering on Nov. 24, Christ the King.
Before I talk about the nitty-gritty numbers, I first wish to express my heartfelt gratitude for all the blessings each of our church family graciously extends. It is through your love, your time, your contributions, that makes it possible to gather in this special place and proclaim the Good News. Monetary contributions are important, they provide us with our dynamic, full-time Priest, Fr. Tom, and his family; we have a warm place to gather together and support groups in our community; we keep the lights on. But its not just about the money. Our volunteers contribute significantly to the church program across all areas of our shared ministry. From working with the children in Sunday school, setting up the altar, washing windows and pulling weeds, your time is instrumental to our success! For certain, like any family, we have our moments, little disagreements, or we rub each other the wrong way. But your commitment to persevering and working through difficulties, is what makes us stronger. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
One of our goals for this year is to be very open and transparent about our church’s needs, where we stand financially, and how our members can help support financially and get plugged in to the various ministries. To that end, the financial goal for the pledge drive is $147,000. The committee looked at our current budget and fixed expenses and increased that number by 13%. We also want to ensure that each of our members and regular attenders are “plugged in,” and have a way to offer their time and their talents. Our committees are active and open to new members. This may mean leadership and planning, or if that’s not your bag, an extra set of hands to carry out the work is always appreciated.
In connection with our theme, we will be holding a series of prayer walks through the season. Join Father Tom on select Wednesday mornings, or myself, Carrie, on select Sunday afternoons for reflection and prayer within our community. A schedule of times and locations will be available soon. If you are unable to attend, we will have a printed “passport” resource you can use wherever you are and no matter your physical abilities.
Please use this season to pray, discern, hold conversations and use that information to make a pledge for the coming year. It is through the faithful commitment of many that we will accomplish our goal, or as you have heard me say many times, many hands makes light work.
If I, another committee member or Fr. Tom can be of any help, please don’t hesitate to reach out. All conversations will be held in utmost confidence.
Carrie Wilson
A Walk in Love Reflection, from Fr. Samuel Nsengiyumva, Former Priest-in-Charge (1999-2003)
Resources
Weekly Giving Pattern
Pledge Card
Weekly Reflections from TENS.org
***Disclaimer: The views expressed in the TENS reflections are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Holy Family Episcopal Church, its members, or its leadership.
Helpful Links
https://www.stmartininthefields.org/archive/stewardship-7-holy-habits/
https://www.christiancentury.org/article/publisher/true-generosity-comes-joy
https://churchexecutive.com/archives/church-growth-essentials-2
https://www.ecfvp.org/blogs/3382/five-ways-to-teach-kids-financial-stewardship-in-the-digital-age
Holy Family Episcopal Church 