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From the Vicar...
It's October, which can only mean one thing...
It's October, and while in the larger world that means beautiful foliage and crisp, clear weather, in the Church it can only mean one thing - the annual pledge campaign. And, yes, it's "that time of year" when, from the pulpit, in print, and in coming editions of the E-News, we'll hear how important it is to support our ministry, blah, blah, blah.
But is speaking about stewardship something we should relegate to the "blah, blah, blah" of "another heard-it-all-before appeal"? After all, stewardship is about so much more than money. It's about everything we do with all of God's gifts - not just how much money we give, or even time and talent. It's about how we pass along the stories of faith we have inherited, how we use our imaginations to consider better ways of making the Gospel known to an ever-expanding circle of people, how we use our minds and bodies to lift up God's way in a world that tries its darnedest to ignore or even reject God's way.
As our campaign gets underway (see below for details), I want to expand the usual definition of stewardship to include all of life. Yes, it's about money and I don't want to dance around that reality. But more than anything, it's about participation. Stewardship is about how we pour "our selves, our souls and bodies" into this ministry we share "as a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice to God." Money is just a symbol in that equation, a tool through which we express our participation in God's work.
Perhaps it would help if we thought through the way money serves as such a symbol.
Think about how you got that money in the first place. Most of us, if we're of working age, put in forty or so hours in whatever endeavor we call our day-to-day employment, and we receive money as compensation for that time and effort. It is, in that sense, symbolic, of the sweat and toil, the brain power and ingenuity we have offered our employer over those forty or so hours. Then, as a way of thanking God for having that brainpower and/or that manual ability (and, of course, so much more), we turn a representative proportion of that symbol - money - back over to God, so God can turn it into action on behalf of the Gospel. It is an
important tool by which we participate in God's work in the world.
We deal with questions and choices about money every day - and most days those questions need to be faced several times a day. The issue is whether we are conscious of those choices or have fallen into habits without thinking. The same is true when it comes to that representative portion we offer God in return for all the ways God has so abundantly blessed us. So often we fill out our annual pledge form with a number that is simply based on last year's number - or even on the number we put down 20 years ago when a dollar stretched a lot farther than it does today (and, likely, our incomes were a lot less as well). If we do not examine that gift - struggle with its proportionality - we'll settle for a "default" level of giving that does not really offer "a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice." The "five dollars a week" I gave as a freshly minted college graduate translates into a far higher number if I think and pray about it today.
As this campaign gets underway, I'm going to make the same request of you this fall that I made last winter when we did our first stewardship campaign together: Don't make up your mind what your 2014 pledge is going to be until after you've heard these folks and have used their witness to help you think through your giving plans. Use these as weeks of prayer and discernment to make this more than a financial decision - each and every one of us need to make this a spiritual decision. Then, "throw in your oar" (you'll see shortly why I use that metaphor...) and join us in making the ministry we share possible.
Faithfully,
Fr. Chip
Covenant refinements being prepared for distribution
At last Sunday's open forum at Trinity Church, several refinements were suggested to our proposed Shared Ministry Covenant to be acted upon this Sunday, Oct. 6. None were of such significant substance as to alter the document's intent - but all were well-crafted and will add to the document's clarity.
As the closing paragraph of the Covenant document anticipated the possibility of amendments via these open forums, the Bishop's Committees are acting this week on the changes being proposed to enable adoption to go forward this Sunday as planned.
We expect to have the approval of the Bishop's Committees by the time this edition of the E-News is distributed. The revised document will be the one moved for consideration at this Sunday's special Parish Meetings.
Please be attentive to the e-mail you will be receiving (or may even have already received by the time you read this) with the revised document attached. Included will be a separate document outlining the changes made. Extra copies will be produced for any who may not receive their copy in time for the meeting.
"We're All In This Boat Together"
2013 Joint Stewardship Campaign for Christ Church, Portsmouth and Trinity Church, Hampton
Over the next several weeks we will explore God's vision for Christ Church and Trinity Church and invite members to prayerfully determine God's will for the gifts and resources with which they have been blessed. Here are some highlights of our plans for this year's "We're All In This Boat Together" campaign:
- Each Sunday from Oct. 20 through Nov. 10, bulletin inserts written by Episcopal stewardship leaders across the country will provide reflections on stewardship and faithful giving. There will also be three mailings going out on Oct. 15 & 29 and Nov. 12.
- Each Sunday, throughout that same period, we will hear personal thankfulness stories to learn first-hand how your fellow parishioners have flourished in their faith through intentional giving of their financial resources.
- Nov. 3rd and 10th will be designated Sundays for returning the pledge form you receive in our second mailing, which goes out Oct. 29.
- On Saturday, Nov. 16, we will celebrate the culmination of the journey with a festive fish fry for all members of both our churches to be held at 6 p.m. at Trinity Church. We'll announce the results thus far and continue getting to know one another across congregational lines.
- In the weeks following our dinner, our Stewardship Team will do follow-up with those from whom we have not heard, so we'll have the final results to share with our Bishop's Committee's by November's end.
As we seek to lay our plans for the next phase of our shared mission, let us join together to do God's work.
Road Closures in Hampton on Sunday, Oct. 6 On Sunday, Oct. 6, there will be several road closures in Hampton due to a road race being held that morning. Specifically, the beach end of High St. will be closed from 8:00-9:30 a.m. If you are coming from the beach end of town, take Route 101 to Route 1 to High St. (Note: Cutting over by way of Landing Rd. from Route 101 will also be impossible, as Winnacunnet Rd. will also be closed.)
Blessing of the Animals: Is your pet coming?
On Sunday, Oct. 6, children and adults are invited to celebrate God's creation through our annual Blessing of the Animals service on the Christ Church lawn.
At the 12:00 service that day, you are invited to bring your cats or dogs, hamsters, gerbils, fish, rabbits or birds to receive God's blessing. Those whose pets cannot come may bring a stuffed animal as a "stand in."
This is a great occasion on which to invite a friend to join you for worship, either to witness the blessing of your pet or to bring pets of their own for a blessing. Spread the word!
NOTE: Due to the Special Parish Meeting (see above) and the Blessing of the Animals, the Laying On of Hands at Christ Church will occur at the close of the Oct. 13 service.
Last chance to sign up for The Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit and "Jerusalem" Film at Boston's Museum of Science
On Saturday, Oct. 12, Christ and Trinity Churches will be sponsoring a field trip to Boston's Museum of Science to see the Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit and the exciting new IMAX film, "Jerusalem." We have reservations for both the exhibit (10:30 a.m.) and the film (12.00 noon).
For more details on both, visit their web site http://www.mos.org/exhibits
You must submit your paid reservation no later than Sunday, Oct. 6 to be included at the group rates shown below. We must have 15 paid reservations to qualify. This is open to all both within and beyond our two congregations.
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Adults
(12-59)
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Seniors (60+)
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Children
(3-11)
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Museum/Scrolls:
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$29.25
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$27.25
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$26.25
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Jerusalem Film:
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$ 5.00
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$ 4.50
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$ 4.00
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Total:
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$34.25
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$31.75
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$26.25
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Please make checks payable to "Trinity Episcopal Church" with the memo, "Field Trip." Our carpool will leave the Christ Church lot at 8:45 a.m. and the Trinity Church lot at 9:00 a.m. Drivers, be aware that parking at the Museum of Science garage costs $13.75 per car for a 3-4 hour stay - so it behooves us to pack as many into each car as possible! Church School teacher(s) needed At Christ Church, we are very fortunate to have had several people step forward to share in this very important program! Many thanks to all of you! At Trinity Church, we have had one person offer to work with our children - once a month. If your think you can do likewise, please speak to Fr. Chip or Patrice. Any person(s) who volunteer will need to take Safe Church training if they do not have it already, and will need to undergo a background check in accordance with our Safe Church policies. | 
