Serving God "Not Only With Our Lips"

Ann Henley, Annual Giving Campaign Committee Chair

Each year the Annual Giving Campaign gathers in the gifts and pledges that enable Chapel of the Cross to continue and to enrich its ministries of liturgy, pastoral care, outreach, and education. As we prepare for the 2004-2005 campaign, I invite you to read and think for just a few minutes about "The General Thanksgiving" that ends the services of Morning and Evening Prayer.

The words of this three-part communal prayer are probably as comfortably familiar to us as "God Is Great, God Is Good" is to our children and grandchildren. In it we first thank God for His "goodness and loving-kindness"; then we bless Him for creating us, blessing us, and providing for our redemption through "our Lord Jesus Christ"; and finally we ask God to give us an awareness of all His mercies. At this point it's helpful to look at the Rite I version of the prayer, because its author clearly envisioned two outcomes of this awareness of God's mercies: first, "that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful," and then, that we may "show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to thy service . . . ."

Practicing Christian stewardship gives us the opportunity to put this prayer into action. When we respond to the Annual Giving Campaign's challenge to give generously of our hard-earned financial assets, we act out of hearts that are "unfeignedly thankful." I love that fine, archaic word, "unfeignedly" (that my Spell-Check just told me isn't a word!). Its very strangeness makes us pay attention: more than saying just "truly thankful," or "sincerely thankful," it describes an act of thanks-giving free of pretense, sham, superficiality and full of whole-hearted commitment, a giving up of self to God's service.

With truly thankful hearts, then, we render praise to God "not only with our lips, but in our lives." That is, we honor and glorify God not just in songs and prayer, though these are vital acts of worship, but also by parting with pieces of our lives, of ourselves - our time, talents, and money - so that He may be served in ways that begin to repay His infinite "goodness and loving-kindness to us." During this Annual Giving Campaign, let all of us in our own ways live out the prayer that is often on our lips so that the Chapel of the Cross can extend its ministry to the parish, the community, and the world.

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The Annual Giving Campaign continues to evolve in response to the stewardship initiative inaugurated by the vestry two years ago and to the ever-changing demographics of our parish. Last year the name was changed; this year the structure is new. Instead of being headed by a chair and vice-chair, as in past campaigns, this year's campaign is directed by a committee that reflects a variety of age and interest groups: (in addition to this year's chair) David Ross, Michael Stafford, Lynn Wilson, Kevin Trapani, Terry Johnston (last year's Campaign chair), and Junior Warden Paul Carew. In addition to devising and evaluating new programs and procedures, this committee has been instrumental in recruiting the caller coordinators (new term for vice chairs) who will in turn enlist the aid of the dozens of parishioners to staff the phone banks in mid-October.

The committee has also approved the incorporation of the program that Gretchen Jordan designed, and which she explains in the next article, to involve the children and youth of the parish in the spiritual discipline of stewardship. Additionally, we have decided to offer a pledge-payment-by-direct-bank-draft option for parishioners for whom writing checks is inconvenient or burdensome.

In most ways, however, the Campaign will follow a familiar routine.

Mid-October: Church staff will mail each parish family a packet including a pledge card, a letter from the Rector and Senior Warden, and a fact sheet detailing financial accomplishments and requirements for the coming fiscal year.

Parents of children and youth will receive information about the children's stewardship program and a consent form allowing their children to participate if they choose.

Sunday, October 17: The vestry will host a forum to inaugurate the Annual Giving Campaign. The Rector will preach at all four services.

Tuesday, October 19: Volunteers will call parishioners' homes between 7 and 9 p.m. to determine if packets have been received and to answer questions about the Campaign.

Sunday, November 21: In-Gathering Sunday.

If you do not receive your pledge packet by October 18, call the parish office or Ann Henley and another packet will be sent to you right away. If you plan to be out of town for an extended period during October and November, let us know so that we can take your absence into consideration.

Please answer the call to stewardship in the household of God with prompt and prayerful responses to this year's pledge drive.