An article from the Cathedral Times
by the Very Reverend Samuel G. Candler
Dean of the Cathedral of St. Philip
I print below the words of parishioner Chip Matthews. He spoke to the parish on Sunday, November 18, 2007; and his message is critical to all of us! Thank you Chip!
--Sam Candler
Discover your Mission, Define your Commitment, Declare your pledge.
Discover your Mission: My mission with the Church became clearly defined on August 18, 2007 when I was involved in an accident. The following day, I awoke from surgery to see John Mark Wiggers looking in my eyes. Immediately, I tried to decide if this was a good thing or a really bad thing! Thankfully, it turned out to be really good. John Mark had come to visit and pray with me. The feeling of care that he brought from the Church was tremendous. A few days later, Dean Sam Candler came to visit; and then the day I was to leave the hospital, Canon Beth Knowlton came to visit.
When I got home, Emile Fisher had called to check on me and wanted to know how long before I could Usher again. Jay Perkins brought and served lunch one day. Lots of emails and cards from the Old Fashion Sunday School class. All this made me think about the depth of OUR Church which then led me to think about our commitment.
Define your Commitment :Many organizations like the Church have so much more going on in the background than you see. The Cathedral is a great example of this. Think about how much time, talent and money it takes for each of the following missions: The Kanuga Family retreat, the Homeless Requiem, the Choir, the Green Apron, the Ushers, the Christmas Pageant, the Children's Ministry, the Old Fashion Sunday School, St. Francis Day, Ash Wednesday, the Pancake Supper, just to name a few. The amount of Money and Effort is tremendous, and the reward is at minimum two or three fold.One important mission at the Church for our family is the children's ministry. It is important to me and my parents that the church support and nurture the next generation. They are our future congregation and will define the future moral compass of our Church and community. There is not a day that an email from Brandon Peate does not go out about a bible study, trip to a Christian concert, a teenage retreat and so on. Having our children learn that fun can come from the church will support the moral compass Anne and I try instill. Then having a role model like Brandon who is cool and a great teacher makes it even better. Our pledges go to help shape the next generation that are closest to us.
Declare your Pledge: Paul said in Galations 6, "Give to those who minister to us." Giving . is an act of worship. This is the time to act. The Church needs to plan its budget, so today, right now is the time to pledge. How ACTIVE will you be? ,My hope is that the act of filling out the pledge card fills your heart and spirit with lots of Joy.
Amen
The Very Rev. Sam Candler