Being good stewards
Ordinary Sunday 26: 26th September, 2004
Fr John Davis, Vicar of St Peter's, Eastern Hill
Just now we have a bit of work to do – all of us together. That is what the sermon today and last week, and the extra written information we will be receiving next week, as we move into a new parish financial year, are all about. The basic proposition is this: this is a great parish but we need to look to all the potential resources we have, all the potential gifts we have to offer, all the renewed life in Christ we have to share. Can we do better? Would we like to do better? Does it help to see what others are doing?
Last Sunday Fr Craig offered us a magnificent challenge in the area of our personal financial stewardship. Our vestry too this week encouraged us all to engage these basic issues head on, as all of us who are part of the regular planned giving scheme collect our new set of envelopes for the next quarter, beginning next week. Each of us has been challenged to look to what we are giving because we know that the ministry that we can provide here depends on what those who worship here give, week by week. Our rentals, our investments and our fundraising can cover our diocesan assessments and insurances and the maintenance of our heritage buildings, but our direct giving covers our ministry. And that ministry is broad and the demands much more than we currently can meet. It expands as the resources expand. Each year at this time, we plan the shape of the ministry year ahead, according to the resources that are pledged and likely to be available.
Perhaps because we have so many visitors joining us on any given Sunday (and this is one of our great joys as a city church), we do also have a smaller proportion of those attending who are part of the planned giving program. This is something we are actively working on. This is the time to be considering taking this step, if you are not already doing so. So we are doing our best to have more parishioners either taking envelopes or arranging for direct debit transfers. The latter is even easier and works smoothly. Further information is available at the back of the church or from the clergy or wardens if you would like to start.
In practical terms it is a very simple proposition. In order that we can better plan and shape the ministries we offer from St Peter's we do need to have more of our worshippers here approaching their Christian stewardship in this regular and structured way. In budget terms, this is vital. If the giving in a parish is regular structured and generous, then so much more becomes possible. If that is the case, the results could be truly remarkable and wonderful.
Last week we got the comparison of the average giving level for each adult attender here in June and July with the average giving per attender across last year, in several quite different Anglican parish churches across the diocese. Those figures were fairly confronting. In those two winter months at least, we had some catching up to do. We will get the stats for August and September as soon as we can because this is important and helpful information. It lets us know how others like us are responding to the same needs. It helps us all to weigh up just what we ourselves would like to offer and then what we are able to offer in the year ahead. And let it be clearly stated, every continuing contribution is valued and welcomed.
But I repeat what I said at this time last year. Our request and the challenge to each of us who value what we do here and what we stand for, is a request and a challenge once again to commit ourselves to make a firm financial commitment to the ongoing life of this place week by week, whether we are able to be present or not.
According to our ability, we are asked to do this. We know and honour the Lord's teaching about the widow's mite. We know what our own circumstances are. We know too what we value and love. St Peter's Eastern Hill is very special. It is a particular church in a particular tradition. Just now, all that this place represents depends on us. We are God's stewards and custodians in this particular generation and in these particular and troubling times. We are surrounded by the prayers and the examples of all the faithful generations that have gone before, but now it is our turn. We then are now urged to respond with our Christian stewardship to a degree that is actually representative in financial terms of what St Peter's means to us and what St Peter's means in our overall scheme of things.
These are very basic issues. It starts with an assessment of the place of God and the place of the spiritual in our lives. It moves from there to a consideration of how and where we would wish to live out and to explore those core issues. Then it is a question as to how and to what degree we are able and wish to put a regular proportion of our own resources into this particular community of faith at St Peter's Eastern Hill, A voluntary association like a church can only work in this way – that is obvious. We share in the spiritual life and work here. We enjoy, we grow, we serve, we pray, we welcome. In this springtime, we again look to see things here blossom and flourish. Individuals, groups, ministries.
So, what value God for us and what value this particular tradition of worship and service? What value a supportive community of faith and in particular this one? What value a place to grow in spiritually and in service and care to others? What value a place and a community of faith that honours and stands for a particular and generous expression of the tradition of the Catholic faith, as we Anglo Catholics have received it?
It is clear that these values and gifts and opportunities cannot be effectively nurtured and proclaimed and shared without adequate resources. How then is this all to happen, and how is it to happen here, if we do not better all get in there and make it happen? How can it happen if the load is not better shared by a sufficient and varied number of people across the generations and across all sorts of life experiences?
That is the crunch. What is necessarily involved is a larger group of people than at present having a firm commitment to giving week by week to the work and witness of this particular community of faith. We need this to happen. It is as simple as that and as hard as that. Even another 20 or 30 people embracing the hopes and needs and vision of this great place and great community, in this particular and practical way, would make an enormous difference. It would make all the difference in the world.
This is again a time to stand up and be counted. This is a time to be proud to be part of this great Anglo Catholic city church and community, loving God and loving neighbour. This is a time to make a renewed and generous commitment to what we do and offer here. Our tradition and our community will live and thrive and be passed on to the next generations with God's grace and with our active participation. This is a great time to be part of the community of faith here at The Hill. What more then can each one of us do?
May God continue to bless us as we respond to our call.
The Lord be with you.
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