From today’s second reading, second Timothy Chapter 4, Verse 5:
“As for you, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.”
Being a member of All Saints’ has taught me all of these.
I’ve been attending All Saints’ since 1979 or so, when Pamela and I were married. Father Satrang was the celebrant. Our two sons, Franklin and Stephen were baptized and confirmed here. As a family, we’ve all been at various times active members in a variety of service commitments. Pamela has taught Sunday School, been a member of the vestry, is a member of the choir and also a greeter, our sons were acolytes and I’ve serviced on the school board, vestry & the calling committee.
Yes – I’m one of those responsible for Father Tony’s call to be our rector.
Being of service is in Pamela’s and mine’s DNA, we are both children of parents who were active in everything they were involved with especially their church communities.
And I see examples of service here at All Saints’ and it is one of the reasons that I still attend.
All Saints’ wasn’t my first choice when we decided to return to a church.
As I mentioned, Pamela and I were married here but we did not regularly attend mass until our children were born and needed some type of Sunday school.
You may know that I was raised Roman Catholic, attended ten years of Parochial School and have an older sister who is a Catholic nun, she is the Superior of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, in Orange County. I was in and around the Catholic Church from a very early age, but like many of us, fell away during my early twenties.
Pamela & I started to attend church regularly as a result of our children. At that time I felt that they needed to be instructed in our faith so that we would have something of substance to rebel against when they became teenagers.
We tried several churches before returning to All Saints’ most memorable to me was St. Dunstan’s. It was okay, but there was something missing.
When we returned to All Saints’, it’s the men and women and children that we met here that made it special, as well as powerful spiritual leadership from the rector, and that is true today.
The church is always prepared for a full house. There are friendly greeters, flowers are on the altar, candles lit, mass books printed and ready, and a spirit filled choir. The fellowship after mass is especially good for me as this is when I can usually catch up with what’s happening in people’s lives from week to week.
The sense of community is very powerful here. I see the same people week to week and new people are recognized and welcomed and I’ve learned from you how to be welcoming and open to new people. I’ve been here long enough to remember when things were grim and closed off and we were not so welcoming.
A breakthrough for me in my personal journey in service here at All Saints’ was when I noticed that no one was taking photographs of church events. When we started attending regularly, Jim Richmond was the church photographer. He generously shared his photographs with the church and me. In fact, I was able to use many of his photographs in a video program that I help produce of the 100th Celebration of All Saints’ as a mission in 1997.
But when he passed away the photography stopped. It took awhile but eventually I came to the conclusion that someone should take up this calling, and I did see it as a calling. It was pointed out to me that by taking photographs of the events at All Saints’ and sharing them was a ministry.
It’s developed from just a few snap shots of some church events and people, with a very inexpensive camera, to covering all the major church events with professional equipment, which I purchased for better results.
I’ve documented most of the events of the church since Father Tony’s arrival, and with his encouragement and various members’ support the result is now a web site filled with photographs that have been seen, printed and downloaded around the world.
So what has this all to do with Stewardship and reaching deeper into our pockets and our selves? It’s a result of those of you in the seats today and every Sunday that I continue to be a part of this community. You’ve taught me that faithful service is showing up every week and sharing with others your faith and friendship. Showing up to make the church ready for services, showing up with money and your time and talents to make this church welcoming and open and faithful to the liturgy that is celebrated here.
It’s because of this attitude, this way of acting that I was able to bring someone who had strayed from his faith back into attending church and than coming to believe again in his faith.
Many of you remember Gary Atwood. He is a friend of mine who was not attending any type of church when I first met him. As our friendship grew he became aware that I attended a church regularly. I never pushed any belief on him, but we discussed what we both believed. One day he asked if he could attend mass with me and without hesitation I said yes and brought him. Than he met many of you and you were welcoming and open. If you’d been un-welcoming or closed off he would have ran away.
You made me proud that I was a member of All Saints’.
One of the turning points for Gary in becoming a member of All Saints’ was when he was able to give a weekly offering. It wasn’t much, but I know that he gave a greater percentage of his income as an offering than most. It was a profound moment for him to be able to be a part of a community of believers and give back. And he did it weekly and during the passing of the offertory baskets. It was a physical act of his giving back to the church that so freely welcomed him and made him feel a part of.
Another service he enjoyed was as a reader. He would practice many times before Sunday because he wanted to do it right. He took great pride in being asked to read.
He taught me the concept of the scripture that instructs me to hear scripture, read them, mark, learn and inwardly digest them; that by patience and comfort of the holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life.
I’ve been a member here long enough to have lived and worked thru the thick and thin of no spiritual leader. We where for a time, much like a mission church having to have visiting priests to perform services for us.
I’m proud to have been part of the group who stuck it out during these trying times. Helped with finding Father Tony and emerge a stronger church community with a renewed faith and with a spirit of building that has seen growth in membership in terms of numbers and types of believers.
It’s a joy for me to see the newcomers and children of regular members growing up and continuing to attend. We seem to attract military families with small children who join for their tour of duty in San Diego and than leave. It’s great when they return as visitors and as regular members. We affect everyone who joins us in a profound way. We leave an impression on anyone who joins us.
It’s been said many times that stewardship is not just about money, but it’s about time, talents and treasures. It’s about thanking God for his blessings with our money, time and talents,
I believe that it’s God’s money; God’s time and God’s talents, I just have to use them carefully and with others in mind.
Giving treasure or money seems to be the easiest way to give back to a church community and it’s vitally important for the day-to-day operation. Just write a check and my offering is completed or easier yet direct deposit my offering electronically from my checking account to the church’s account by way of the internet.
But I’m sure that true stewardship for me is not just about giving money if I want to give fully to this community. I enjoy giving my time and talents as the church photographer, even when it’s inconvenient or seems like an extension of my work and keeps me from just being in the congregation as a member.
As you pray and discern what your pledge for the upcoming year will be to All Saints’ remember that it’s not just about the costs of running the church day to day, it’s not just making sure that we have a rector, it’s not just about candles and incense and flowers, but it’s about a place where faith is practiced, people are genuine in their faith and that people change for the better as a result of becoming a member of All Saints’.
It changed Gary and I know it’s changed me and taught me how to remain steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist and to carry out ministry.