Tell Out My Soul
Luke 1:46-55 The Magnificat
[Mary sang:]
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
As translated for the Book of Common Prayer
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his word;
in God my Savior shall my heart rejoice.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his Name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure, from age the same;
his holy Name-the Lord, the Mighty One.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.
Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
to children’s children and for evermore!
Hymnal 1982 #437 after the Magnificat
The Details
The 2025 Pledge Drive will begin on Oct. 26 with a kickoff luncheon provided by the Stewardship Committee, and will conclude with an Ingathering on Nov. 23, Christ the King. This is an important annual reminder of our God’s gracious outpouring of love and blessings, and how we can in turn respond and work within God’s plan for our lives, both individually and corporately.
Holy Family is such an amazing place to call our church home! Before talking about the nitty-gritty numbers, I first wish to express my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all the people who bring this building to life! It is through your love, your time, your contributions, that make it possible to gather in this special place and proclaim the Good News. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
One important aspect of our pledge drive this year is 100% participation! Now that may seem lofty, but there are so many ways to engage, and there’s no one right way. Time, talent and treasure are the three traditional “buckets” to consider.
Treasure: The financial resources of Holy Family goes to supporting our ministries, missions and community. We have a vibrant Rector, Fr. Tom, and his family; we have a warm place to gather together and support groups in our community; we keep the lights on. Pledging your treasure could look like increasing your annual financial pledge, or if you’ve never pledged before, maybe this is your time to start, even if its just $5 per week. Our financial goal is $130,000 for the upcoming year. That may seem like a big number, but when we all contribute, the “burden” becomes light.
Now that the sticky one is out of the way, lets remember that we are more than a line on the budget sheet!
Time: We have several committees and groups that help to support our church family and our community. The Hospitality, Worship, Formation, Mission, Pastoral Care, and Stewardship committees are all active in their various activities. We also have the Vestry, ECW, and Altar Guild. Our volunteers contribute significantly to the church program across all areas of our shared ministry. From serving on Vestry, working with the children in Sunday school, setting up the altar, washing windows and pulling weeds, your time is instrumental to our success! There are roles both big and small, but regardless, work to support our mission and ministries.
Talent: Do you have a special affinity for a certain book of the Bible? Maybe you could lead a study. An avid baker? Our Hospitality committee hands out banana bread to newcomers. A craftsman? Share your love and skill with a group or the children’s program. The possibilities are endless the ways we can share and show the Love of Christ.
How much you give matters; but the why of giving also matters. Here are some reasons people at Holy Family give:
Nuts and bolts—Holy Family is self-supporting. Salaries, ministries, building maintenance—all are paid for from pledges, other financial gifts and income from building use. It costs a lot to support our community, carry on our ministry and care for our buildings and grounds. And so we give!
Belonging —Holy Family is not a charitable organization in the ordinary sense. It is our spiritual home. It makes a difference in our lives that other causes, worthy as they are, may not. Therefore, we give our fair share, and don’t take a “free ride.” We give to us, because we belong to each other.
Saying thanks—All we have comes from God and belongs to God. By giving generously, we thank God for God’s loving ownership of our lives and we dedicate what we’ve been given to God’s purposes. Giving is a practice of thanksgiving that over time makes us even more grateful. It opens our hearts to the awareness that all life is a wondrous gift.
Practicing trust—Giving generously teaches us trust in God’s promise to care for us and the world. We want to see how much we can live without so that we can finally discover that what we really need most is God and each other! In turn, this leap of faith bestows many wonderful blessings—a simpler lifestyle, strengthened relationships, greater hope and deeper awareness of God’s presence in our daily lives.
So how do we know what to pledge? First and foremost, engage with the Lord! The first step to determining how or what to pledge is prayer. How has the Lord blessed you, what is His plan for you, how does the church fit in to that plan, etc. This is an ongoing conversation. Next and finally, respond.
Please use this season to pray, discern, hold conversations and use that information to make a pledge for the coming year. We want each person to feel plugged in to our community and feel like they have a stake in it! 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
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 