An article from the Cathedral Times
by Dean Sam Candler
Whatever service you usually attend, and whoever you are, please join us this Sunday, December 11, at 10 a.m., in Child Hall, for the annual parish meeting of the Cathedral of St. Philip!
At this meeting, all members—and all associate members, friends, and visitors!—gather together for common celebration. Ours is a grand community, a “great community of communities,” and this parish meeting is one opportunity for us all to gather in one place.
Join us! As in recent years, we will meet in Child Hall, during the regular education hour. We will hear reports from myself and from several parish leaders. The annual Parish Report, with its complete review of the 2016 year, will also be distributed.
We will also vote on the slate of Chapter nominees for the 2019 Chapter class. Our Nominating Committee, under the chairmanship of David Burge, has worked faithfully and efficiently to present a slate of six nominees. Those elected will serve a term of three years.
I am thankful that this Cathedral parish is blessed with many excellent parishioners who are willing to serve, and the Nominating Committee had plenty of fine nominees to choose from! But the Nominating Committee could make only six choices, and some excellent people were not selected as final nominees. Furthermore, the Nominating Committee worked to present as broad a representation of the parish as possible.
We will follow our usual morning schedule of worship services in the Cathedral and Mikell Chapel. However, no adult classes will meet during the annual parish meeting.
This Sunday, during our morning services, we will once again form a fantastic and fun offertory procession with our pledge cards! You should have received those pledge cards by mail in the last several weeks. Pray about your pledge this year, and pledge generously! Bring your cards to church, and then walk to the altar following the usual procession of bread, wine, and Sunday gifts. Others will join you.
Once again, we will develop an Episcopal Church altar call! Your pledges of financial support for the 2017 year are critical to God’s work here — and to the grace, excellence, and hospitality that this parish displays. The promise of this and every year’s stewardship campaign is that our collective effort is greater than our individual contributions. When you walk forward with your card, you are making a special offering and commitment here, and I believe God will always honor that gift, no matter what size. Large or small, we all have the opportunity to offer something to God, something that God can and will use. Of course, if you cannot make your actual pledge on this Sunday, please do join the procession anyway. We will provide special cards you can use, on which you can indicate your intention to make a future pledge.
I am so thankful for each of you this year. I look forward to delivering my own parish report at the meeting, with other details, but I can tell you now what I will say: You are wonderful! Blessings and grace to all who participate in the mission and ministry of this beautiful and sacred place.
See you Sunday!
