FOR THE LOVE OF MIKE Volume 67 Number 9
OCTOBER 2017
The Episcopal Church of Saint Michael & All Angels Pacific View Drive at Marguerite
Corona del Mar
California 92625
949.644.0463
stmikescdm.ladiocese.org
JOURNEY TO GENEROSITY
FROM THE INTERIM RECTOR
Stewardship In a New Era By The Rev. Michael Seiler 2017 has been a year of milestones! This year St. Michael’s is celebrating its 50th anniversary. St. Michael’s has also recently marked the retirement of The Very Rev. Canon Peter Haynes after his many years of ministry here. Both of those events are important landmarks. They are defining moments in the life of any parish community. Here at St. Michael’s, they have happened at the same time, closely followed by my arrival to serve as your Interim Rector. I think it’s safe to say that those three events mark this moment as the beginning of a new era for the St. Michael’s community! This month we will be launching our Stewardship Campaign for 2018. For those of us who have been involved in the life of the Episcopal Church for many years, “stewardship time” can become something of an annual autumn routine. Over the years making our pledge may become something we don’t think about very much – we pledge faithfully because it’s just what we do. It becomes a virtuous habit. And much about that is good! However, we may not spend a lot of time reflecting on it once it becomes an annual routine. But this year is different. This year St. Michael’s is embarking on a new era. And this year’s stewardship campaign is something much more than just a routine annual event. Our pledges this year are truly a sign of our faith in the future that God has for St. Michael’s. This year, in a very special way, our faithfulness and generosity in stewardship can help make a new era at St. Michael’s possible. This year, our pledges are our stake in everything that St. Michael’s already is – but also everything it can become, as God calls us into a new future. You’ll soon receive pledge cards, for both a financial pledge and a pledge of time and talent. Please take this opportunity to consider (or re-consider) your pledge to St. Michael’s. How might you make your pledge of time and talent this year less of a routine task (however virtuous!) and more of a commitment to a new era? Is there something more you can do to help us realize a new era of ministry here at St. Michael’s? Are there others whom you can encourage and support to do the same? This is a challenging, but also a very promising time for our parish community – it’s the dawn of a new era. We have new leadership and new opportunities that we trust God will bring to us. It’s up to us to join together and begin that new era with energy and confidence. I hope you’ll join me as stakeholders in this new era at St. Michael’s, founded on God’s goodness, but built up through our generosity and commitment. Thank you for the honor of serving as your interim rector at the dawn of a new era. Thank you for all of the faith, generosity and dedication that I’ve come to know here at St. Michael’s. And most of all, thank you for joining me in pledging our time and talent for a new era of life and ministry. Blessings!
Dear Fellow Parishioners: I’m honored to serve as the Stewardship Chair for this year’s pledge drive at Saint Michael & All Angels. On Sunday, October 1, we will kick off our annual giving campaign: “Journey to Generosity.” In the weeks following, we will explore together how we can live more generously as individuals and as a community of faith. Journey to Generosity is more than what we do with our financial resources — though that is important. We are also called to be open to new ideas, to welcome the stranger, to volunteer often, and to forgive those who have offended us. Your generosity, in response to the abundance in your life, will fund the mission and ministry of Saint Michael & All Angels and transform lives, as we journey forward in this time of transition. Here is the plan for this year’s pledge drive: • Beginning on Sunday, October 1, and continuing throughout the pledge drive, our Sunday bulletin will include reflections written by Episcopal leaders from across the country. These reflections will cover stewardship and faithful giving in connection with the Gospel reading of the day, and I encourage us all to use them for prayer and study throughout the week. • On several Sundays, we will hear from our fellow parishioners what the practice of intentional giving means to them. • On November 5, we will celebrate Commitment Sunday, the culmination of our exploration, when pledges will be completed and offered as an act of worship and in response to all that God has provided. The Vestry have set a goal of receiving pledge commitments from 100% of our worshiping community. We will be in intentional prayer that each of us will remain open to letting the Holy Spirit lead and guide us in a faithful response to being called to Journey to Generosity. Thank you for joining me as we consider how we can journey more fully into a generous life. May our exploration open us to a new spirit of generosity. Yours in Christ, Stacie Tibbetts, Stewardship Commissioner
BUILDING OUR F AITH: L OVING CHRIST AND SER VING OUR COMMUNITY FAITH: LO SERVING