Blessed in Blessing - The 2012 Annual Giving Campaign
A Call to Stewardship
A message from the Dean
“I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart” Psalm 111:1
Dear Beloved in Christ,
This is my first of what I expect to be many, many Stewardship letters. One of my favorite books is The Little Prince. It is a story of a gentle little prince who journey’s among the planets encountering others who help him to discover the eternal truths of life. In one such encounter a fox shares this bit of insight with him – It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye. I think this captures what is at the heart of being a follower of Christ—learning to see with our hearts. When we see with our heart we see from God’s perspective.
We don’t travel through space like the little prince, but we do have a community at Saint Andrew’s Cathedral that helps us to see with the heart. Ultimately, this is the role of the church – to serve as a place where we encounter Christ and to learn to see as God sees. The Cathedral community does this in all sorts of ways. Our church provides a tangible place to gather for the important events and transitions in our lives. We provide companionship on the journey—people willing to speak with other people about their faith in ways that guide and mentor others. This community provides the strength and power of prayers joined together to give support whenever needed. This is a place where there is room for laughter and joy as we grow to know one another better. And it is a community that we benefit from the insight of others who help us to see our own gifts and how we are called to use them.
God gives with abandon. Each of you possesses gifts and resources that God has lavished upon you. When we see with the heart we realize that our hearts are filled to overflowing. And then we cannot help but respond as the psalmist did—giving thanks to God with our whole heart. Now imagine how powerful this becomes when all our hearts come together. I can not imagine traveling through life any other way than in the company of followers of Christ. When our hearts come together we provide a way of seeing God that is nothing short of awesome.
Each year the Chapter spends time imagining what we are called to do together—not only to expand the sight of our own hearts but also to draw other hearts to Christ. Some of our visions for next year are practical matters like caring for our buildings and our staffing needs. Others dreams include expanding formation programs like adult offerings and providing dedicated staff and volunteers to administer them. Our vision includes stretching to reach out to others through community building activities and through outreach ministries. All of these dreams provide the means of enriching our travels together and creating space for others to join us in the journey of the heart.
This coming Sunday, November 6 at 5:30 pm Evensong, we will pray for and bless our annual giving campaign. On November 20th you will be asked to carry your pledge cards or pledge confirmation cards to the altar as your offering to God. May our hearts speak together in a resounding voice. May we give thanks to the Lord with all of our hearts.
In Christ,
The Very Rev. Walter B.A. Brownridge,
Dean of the Cathedral of Saint Andrew
A message from the 2012 Stewardship Ministry
We hope that you will prayerfully consider your 2012 Annual Giving Pledge in light of all that has gone before and all that is to come. We ask that you come to the November 6th Choral Evensong and the Dean’s reception to bless and pray for the Cathedral’s ministries and mission efforts in 2012, and to attend worship on the November 20th Feast Day at the combined 9:30 am Eucharist so that we might all offer together our gifts to God. If you have any questions or would like to discuss stewardship at the Cathedral of Saint Andrew, please call Karen Sender, 271-1591 (or email giving@thecathedralofstandrew.org).
