Stewardship Newsletter 2014
Re‐Imagining Stewardship at Calvary Baptist Church:
Perspective, Prophecy, Place, Practice & People Dear Members and Friends, This year marks the beginning of an important transition at Calvary as we seek a new senior pastor. During this time of transition we, as a congregation, will take the time to reflect on Calvary’s values and ideals to ensure that we find a senior pastor who meets those values and ideals. As part of this reflection, it is critical to reflect on stewardship and why we choose to support Calvary with our financial gifts, as well as our time and talents. To that end, we shall reimagine stewardship at Calvary by focusing on the 5 P’s: Perspective, Prophecy, Place, Practice, and People. We first explored the 5 P’s in Pastor Amy’s Imagine Calvary sermons series given earlier this year. Now, we will explore the 5 P’s with a You can donate to Calvary focus solely on why we give and give generously to this community. on our website: We ask that each of you share anonymously why you give to calvarydc.org/give. Calvary. Write the reason or reasons why you donate on the Did you know?
The website also contains information on other ways to donate your gifts to Calvary. Visit the website and donate today!
enclosed blank note card, and place it in our Post Secret “mailbox” during coffee hour. Please remember that this is anonymous, so do not sign your name. At the end of the stewardship campaign, we will share with the congregation the many reasons why we all share our gifts with Calvary. Below, we share; through the 5 P’s some of the reasons why we give and why stewardship is so important to this community. We also share with you some practical information on giving. Thank you all for sharing your gifts with Calvary. Calvary Stewardship Team 2014 Tom, Sarah, Leigh, Drew, and Elijah
1
Stewardship Newsletter 2014
Perspective During Jesus's life on earth, the church was the people who followed Him—Apostles, family members, friends and others who gathered around in people's homes or outside in the fields, vineyards, on the sea and river shores. After His death and resurrection, His following grew and spread from Palestine all around the Mediterranean Sea. They continued to gather in people's homes and other spaces open to them for the next two or three hundred years. Around that time, modern researchers on this subject have reported a house, possibly owned by a Christian, was remodeled to serve a large group as a space to worship and carry out missions to spread the good news. When Constantine became emperor of the Roman Empire in early 300 AD, he became a follower and made Christianity the official religion. That began a time of constructing buildings in which the people who were the church could gather, whether as simple as one room or as awe inspiring as the Notre Dame Cathedral, that continues. In that same spirit, one thousand, eight hundred and sixty‐two years later, another group of Christians formed another cell of Christ's body of believers that they named Calvary Baptist Church and set about to provide a space for it to grow. They set it here on the corner of Eighth and H Streets in the heart of this city to further spread the good news, and when the original building was destroyed by fire they rebuilt it one hundred and fifty years ago. We who are the people of Calvary Baptist Church today have inherited this legacy and are now the stewards of both its spirit and the building that stands as its witness.
Prophecy Do not say to yourself, ‘My power and the might of my own hand have gained me this wealth.’18But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, so that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your ancestors, as he is doing today. ‐‐Deuteronomy 8:17‐18 The prophets can often be harsh! They tell some of our favorite biblical characters things that I am sure would make even us burst into tears. Other times, I imagine, they speak the bold truth that we certainly believe, but do not have the courage to say. In the above, the prophet Moses is doing both—he is being harsh and hopeful. In a sense, you can say he is being a prophet. When we meet Moses, he is lecturing the people of Israel as they are about to enter the land flowing with milk and honey. And it is safe to say that they are ready for the Promised Land. They have endured hundreds of miles and 40 years of wandering. They feel, at the very least, they deserve their coming stability, prosperity and wealth. But Moses, always ready to give a word from the Lord, must give them a harsh and hopeful reminder. He tells them they are indeed getting ready to experience something they have never experienced before! They really are getting their land, their food, their stone, their, 2
Stewardship Newsletter 2014
gold, and really all they need and could want. But he reminds them that even before their wealth, God was with them. He tells them that, “man does not live on bread alone but every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (v. 3). He also tells them that despite their hard work, their efforts, and their trials, they have not earned their wealth and power—instead he says, this was given to you by God. In our world, it is easy to think that we are the ones responsible for our own wealth and power. But Moses’ words ring true to us today, just as they did to the people of Israel. God is the source of everything—including the wealth and power we have. And we must remember that so we can be generous with what God has given us. This stewardship season, let us highlight this truth. Let us also use this truth, that God is the source of our wealth, to guide, call, and challenge us to give generously and trust that God will continue to give and sustain us with all our needs for we know that we do not live on bread, money, wealth, and power alone, but every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Place A building does not constitute a church—people do. And yet, anyone who has attended church regularly knows that the sacred space created for worship is exactly that: sacred and holy and important. Step into Calvary’s majestic sanctuary and you can feel the 150‐plus years of history surrounding you. From the massive organ to the polished wood, this place calls us to remember what has come before, and inspires us to go forward. “Sanctuary” can be defined simply as a room where religious ceremonies are held—and certainly that is true of the sanctuary at Calvary. But “sanctuary” also can mean a place where someone is protected or given shelter, and I believe many of us also connect with this definition when we think of the place Calvary is. Through our stewardship, we can in turn care for and protect this very important space and preserve it for the next 150 years.
Practice What does it mean to practice Stewardship? When we think of practice, it has two meanings: An action that is done regularly, as part of a set calendar or rhythm, and the process of becoming better at something by doing it repeatedly. Whether we are giving of our time, money, or talents, it’s not always easy. In our practice of stewardship we recognize that it is a process over time, one that reflects the rhythms of our life as we participate in a community of faith. When I give to Calvary, I do it to take part in the sacred practice of offering, and to practice the hard work of giving and sharing my resources with my church family. 3
Stewardship Newsletter 2014
People What is Calvary without people? Nothing. The people who work, preach, and worship at Calvary breathe life into our beautiful sanctuary in downtown Washington, DC Those same people spread the word of God and our message throughout the DC metropolitan area and beyond. The people at Calvary engage in thoughtful discussions and challenge one another to be better followers of Christ. The people at Calvary make it the welcoming, affirming community of faith for which we are all so thankful. And the people at Calvary do so much more — more than I could ever put down on a page. I donate to Calvary to support the people of this community because without the people, there is no Calvary.
Now It’s Your Turn to Share Why You Give Now that you have read about some of the reasons why we give to Calvary, it’s time for you to reflect on why you give and let us know through our Post Secret campaign. Write down why you give (it could be a story a poem, a picture, or anything) to Calvary on the enclosed note card or a separate piece of paper and place it in our Post Secret mailbox during coffee hour or in the offering plate.
Your Contributions: They Make a Difference! Why should you make a pledge and contribute to Calvary for 2015? Because your pledge and contribution make a difference. Roughly one‐third of Calvary’s expenses are paid from your contributions. Your contributions directly support the salaries for our pastors and staff, pay for maintenance of our beautiful facilities, and allow us to spread our message. As a result, your contributions are vital to the life of our community. So please submit a pledge and give generously to Calvary in 2015. To submit your pledge, fill in the information on the enclosed pledge card and return it to Calvary. You may also go to the stewardship website (www.calvarydc.org/serve/stewardship) and submit your pledge online. On the website, you will also find an interactive pledge calculator to assist you in determining the amount of your pledge.
4
2015 Pledge Card, Re-Imagining Stewardship: Perspective, Prophecy, Place & People In grateful response to God's love, I/we would like to make the following pledge of my/our time, abilities, and resources in Christ's work through Calvary Baptist Church: My Time and Abilities I pledge to offer my time, abilities, and support in the following ministries: Action and Advocacy Worship and Music Children and Youth
Name(s) (Please Print)
Address
Community and Resident Partners Discipleship and Christian Education Other: _____________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________ Street
My Resources Pledge Amount: $__________ Given Annually
Monthly
Weekly
Other: _______
(This commitment will continue until changed by notification to the Church Treasurer.)
I/we would appreciate monthly weekly no offering envelopes. I/we would like to set up automatic credit card charge direct debit.
______________________________________ ______________________________________ City
State
Zip
Telephone
___________________________________
Email ______________________________________
Signature(s)
___________________________________
______________________________________
Date
___________________________________ Thank you for sharing your voice and participating in the story of Calvary Baptist Church.