Walk in Love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:2. Growing Together in God s Love

Transcription

1 Walk in Love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:2 Growing Together in God s Love

2 Dear Friends, This booklet offers a look at those ministries that you enable to exist through your offerings to God through St. Andrew s. The theme of this year s stewardship effort is Walk in Love The words reflect who we are and what we do. They also recall one of the Offertory Sentences we often hear in the midst of the Eucharist: Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God. Each Sunday we know God s love as we are fed at the altar. Through it we are strengthened to love, to serve, to give. It is my prayer that in this time you will give thanks to God for all you are and have, and return to God a percentage of all God has given you. Many thanks to John Armstrong who created this booklet, to all who offered thoughtful reflections here and will do so on Sundays, to the Stewardship Committee and all who serve Christ in worship, formation and mission here at St. Andrew s. Faithfully yours in Christ, Dear People of God at St. Andrew s, We will soon begin our walk together as companions in pilgrimage. My heart is glad at the prospect. And as our journey commences, we are called to pause rather intentionally to consider our role as stewards. The canon of Holy Scripture offers us opportunities to linger with this integral aspect of our identity at every turn. Jesus weaves the theme of stewardship into many of the parables and of course we are invited into contemplation of that enterprise in the story of our creation, our very genesis, contained in the Book of Genesis. The narratives of the beginning impart to us these (among other) truths God creates, God deems the creation good, and then God entrusts that creation into our care. Our response to such revelation surely includes gratitude, awe, reverence, and humility at the wonders of God s creation, and the risk entailed in God s trust in us. And so, because we yearn to more truly reflect the image of God, because we are ardent in our desire to mirror God s love, we approach our role as stewards with reverence we tend, tenderly, what God places in our care. Stewardship calls us to care for the gifts God plants in us and around us. We are to nurture the people whom we encounter, we are to guard our environment, we are to hone our talents, we are to develop our skills, we are to offer our treasure, and we are to dedicate our time all these in ways that God would deem good. May our response to the God Who creates and calls be bold and generous! May our care-taking be both loving and lovely! Shariya+

3 October, 2016 Dear Parishioners of St. Andrew s: Every day, the people of St. Andrew s are walking in love as Christ taught us with friends and neighbors near and far. We are offering care and compassion as we celebrate the Eucharist together in worship on Sundays and in private homes with homebound friends. Our Sunday School is thriving and providing Christian Formation to young learners. Our outreach efforts extend to our sponsored orphans in Uganda, and children in Connecticut and the Dominican Republic. Our music ministry is providing joyful and spirit-filled offerings. At present, we are preparing for the arrival of Rev. Shariya Molegolda. We are grateful for the period of discernment, which resulted in her acceptance of a call to St. Andrew s. Over the past sixteen months, we have transformed some of our most-utilized spaces, the kitchen, music room, Farmer Hall and the rectory, into warm, inviting, functional facilities. As your Stewardship committee, it is our privilege to invite you to support the mission and ministries of St. Andrew s Episcopal Church in We are stewards of the gifts God has granted us in this earthly life, and we all benefit from these gifts of health, talent, and love. Sharing our gifts with the church for God's work on earth is a way to give back to God. Financial support is both symbolic and highly practical. It allows our church to carry out its mission. Please prayerfully consider how you can support St. Andrews in 2017, and respond by completing our Estimate of Giving form. Please bring your form to church on Sunday, November 13 as we celebrate St. Andrew s Day with bagpipe music and thanksgiving for our church home. Alternately, please return the completed form by mail to the church office at any time. With gratitude, Rev. Ann Broomell Gary Naegel John Armstrong Laura Downes Kristen Garnett Helen Kitzman Rebecca Rastetter

4 The Mission-Based Ministry of St. Andrew s Introduction: Worship-Word-Work Earlier this year we looked at the life we share here at St. Andrew s through the perspective of Worship-Word- Work. We considered the mission of the parish related to Worshiping, forming and being formed as followers of Jesus Christ, and the many ministries of the parish that support the all that we are and do. Worship, Word and Work demonstrates how we, the people of St. Andrew s, walk in love shared and offered to others, and that we walk in the midst of the Love that is God. Worship Praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. Nehemiah 9:5 a A good place to be where people can have a special relationship with God. I feel it is a privilege to be able to support this Church in many ways. Our parish family and friends are terrific. Ray Hencir Worship at St. Andrew s offers the opportunity to connect deeply with God, with Jesus Christ, in services that are warmly welcoming to all. Sunday mornings begin with worship in a quiet contemplative service of Holy Eucharist, gathering at 8 o clock using the Book of Common Prayer. The second service at 9:30 is designed to create a more contemporary experience welcoming to families, through use of both the Book of Common Prayer and more recent Episcopal liturgies with music that represents historical hymnody and contemporary music. We enjoy a band, spirit choir, and enthusiastic youth participation using the service book and contemporary Christian music created for this service. Children of the parish participate as acolytes, lay readers, and ushers. Our Wednesday service offers the Holy Eucharist with prayers and anointing for healing. It brings peace, calm, caring and hope. The music ministry at St. Andrew s honors God with music in an environment of support and encouragement for each other. Music is our means, but ministry is our end. We involve all parishioners who express an interest in joining our music ministry. Valued instrumentalists bring their energy and skill to our worship. We recognize that this ministry should not be the work of a few but rather of many. Our Worship is supported by numerous dedicated parishioners who serve as Acolytes, Chalicists, Prayer Team, Ushers, Vergers, and especially Altar Guild members. They also support special services. During 2015 there were 90 Sunday services, 52 mid-week eucharists and one mid-week Morning Prayer, 3 baptisms, 2 weddings, and 10 funerals. St. Andrew s continues through the transition in rectors to be a growing engaged worshiping community. Your offering enables St. Andrew s to be a beacon of hope and worship in the Madison area. St. Andrew's provides a wealth of spiritual and social benefits for our family. The youth education program, including the outstanding music ministry, is truly a gift for our children. We are so fortunate to be part of this parish and to worship with the St. Andrew's family. Mark Auletta

5 Word In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 "I enjoy participating in and volunteering for various activities at Saint Andrew's. The rewards received from working with my fellow parishioners are immense." Mary Potenziani Word reflects three aspects of Christian life, the Word that is Jesus Christ, the Word of Jesus that we know in Holy Scripture, and the Word that is proclaimed as we live our lives as followers of Jesus. Our programs of Christian Formation are vital, energized, and carefully crafted to meet the needs of all. Caring stimulating childcare is offered Sunday mornings by trained care givers. All the children of St. Andrew s benefit from energetic and creative staff leadership assisted by a number of gifted parishioners and youth. Using the Spark curriculum for elementary and middle school age children, our formation classes enable them to grow in their faith through age appropriate activities. Those in eighth and ninth grades look at society, self, spirituality, plus Christian scriptures and history in weekly meetings, field trips, and overnight retreats as they prepare for Confirmation. The Middle School and High School Youth Groups will each experience a wide ranging and engaging series of gatherings that build friendships, offer opportunities to serve others, broaden understanding, and deepen faith. A major focus throughout is learning to make good decisions for themselves, understanding who God is and what being a person of faith means in their lives. Intergenerational activities such as the annual Blessing of the Animals service, Advent wreath making, Jesse Tree decorating and Lenten pretzel baking engage families and parishioners. Service projects enable children to understand the role of Christians in serving others. Adult formation includes programming during Advent and Lent on themes such as Waiting and Forgiveness. This year a series of meetings with pot luck soup and salad supper focused on the Holy Land. Word ministries also include the efforts of many parishioners who are involved in supporting the life of the parish through Stewardship, Hospitality and Fellowship, Welcoming, Loaves & Fishes, and Pastoral Care. St. Andrew s is deeply involved in Mission/Outreach ministry to the wider community through the Community Garden, Raise the Roof, Meals on Wheels, New Reach, and Covenant to Care. "Don and I have been attending St. Andrews Church for 40 years. We can't imagine a more loving and supporting parish! Nancy Rankin

6 Work For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 All that we are and do as people who follow Jesus Christ is supported by the gifts and efforts of many who serve behind the scenes. At St. Andrew s, we ve found a place that welcomes our family and allows us to grow in faith. One of the ways we do this is through the youth programming. Whether it be listening to the children sing in choir, read as lectors, acolyte, participate in church school or the youth group, God is around us and with us here at St. Andrews. Sandy Butler the parish. Where would we be without the efforts of the Buildings & Grounds Committee who oversee the upkeep and management of our property. This s year s renovation of Farmer Hall has created a warm and welcoming space that has already seen use for worship fellowship and Rally Sunday. It will become a multi-use space with projection capabilities and its own sound system. The Memorial Garden Committee maintains the beauty of the Resurrection Garden with flowers and plantings. A quiet reflective space, the Garden holds the blessed ashes of many parishioners. The first burial took place in People come from nearby and some distance to remember their loved ones. Of central importance are the efforts of our Treasurer and the Finance and Endowment Committees. The Treasurer and Finance Committee create and monitor our annual operating budget to reflect parishioner donations. The endowment is invested by the Endowment Committee to ensure that only a prudent amount of funds are used for operating expenses. They work to maintain the integrity of the investments for the future benefit of Fund Raisers are significant in the life of any parish. They raise necessary funds to support the ministry of the parish and are very important as well to build community. People are drawn together as they set up and take down, as they meet old friends from the parish and outside the parish. Fund raisers including the Holiday Fair, Spaghetti Supper and Cabaret create friendships across the breadth of the parish. We are grateful for the efforts of those who lead these events. We believe that our investment in time, talent and treasure brings us closer together as a community following in God s mission for our parish. Albert Gonzalez Others support the life of the parish with their time and skill. Many of your friends, those who worship alongside you, who shake your hand during the peace give significantly of their time, skill and gifts to enable St. Andrew s to be all it is. New leaders, new helping hands are always needed. Your funds make their efforts easier, and support the success of their efforts.

7 Tithing and Proportional Giving as a Means to Reach the Tithe A healthy spiritual life requires self discipline. In the vows we make each time a new Christian is baptized, we promise to continue in the apostles teaching, the breaking of the bread and the prayers. In other words, we promise to put God at the center of our lives, using Jesus life as a model for our own, coming to church regularly to receive communion and to be in relationship with God through prayer. Without some kind of schedule, each of these aspects of our vow is easily swallowed up by the demands of life today. It s the same with pledging. Pledging is the discipline through which we give of the fruits of our labor, of our income, to God by supporting our parish, St. Andrew s. The Episcopal Church has reaffirmed the tithe as the standard of giving regularly since Tithing, or giving 10 percent of our income back to God, can be daunting. It frees us up, however, to put God at the center of our lives. Many parishes advocate proportional giving, which is determining what percentage you are giving now (whether it is a share of gross or net income is between you and God) and then raising the percentage given to ministry each year. This discipline offers us freedom from the hold that loving money and material possessions has on us. The table below shows how to begin. Proportional giving is intentional, and any kind of intentional giving of ourselves to God always rewards us beyond anything we can expect or even imagine. If your annual Consider income is: pledging: 1.50% 2.50% 5.00% 7.00% 10.00% $25,000 weekly $ 7.21 $ $ $ $ monthly $ $ $ $ $ annually $ $ $ 1, $ 1, $ 2, $50,000 weekly $ $ $ $ $ monthly $ $ $ $ $ annually $ $ 1, $ 2, $ 3, $ 5, $75,000 weekly $ $ $ $ $ monthly $ $ $ $ $ annually $ 1, $ 1, $ 3, $ 5, $ 7, $100,000 weekly $ $ $ $ $ monthly $ $ $ $ $ annually $ 1, $ 2, $ 5, $ 7, $ 10, $150,000 weekly $ $ $ $ $ monthly $ $ $ $ $ 1, annually $ 2, $ 3, $ 7, $ 10, $ 15, $200,000 weekly $ $ $ $ $ monthly $ $ $ $ 1, $ 1, annually $ 3, $ 5, $ 10, $ 14, $ 20, $300,000 weekly $ $ $ $ $ monthly $ $ $ 1, $ 1, $ 2, annually $ 4, $ 7, $ 15, $ 21, $ 30,000.00

8 as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an Walk in love, offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:2