The Good News • December 2007

Heritage Society

Stewardship is the maintaining and improving of a property or program. We need to be effective stewards of St. John's Church.

We have seen two of our neighboring churches collapse and close in recent years. We have to ask why? The reasons usually given are:

1. Demographics are changing with the city population, declining and moving away
2. Church attendance is no longer relevant to member's life style,
3. Too many churches of the same denomination are in a small geographic area.

In my opinion, the major reason is that these churches lost their membership by closing their doors to new ideas. They were not retaining their members nor recruiting new members with new programs that were relevant to the membership. We at St John's have not done that. We have survived and prospered.

How many of you have come to St. John's in the last 12 years? Raise your hands. Look around, ( a third of the people raised their hands) Why are you here? The reasons are many.

1. The theology and beliefs of the Episcopal Church. A Church that expresses the middle way, [the via media] with an absence of rigid dogma and regulation.
2. The acceptance of new people without regard to the differences among them.
3. The presence of intellectually stimulating sermons and discussions.
4. A music program that is entertaining, serious, and inspirational.
5. An effective children's program that recognizes the importance of religious education and exposure.
6. The friendships made at church, gained by participation in programs and activities.

We have to keep doing what we're doing but that takes money. We must meet our goal of $240,000 in Pledge Income. To date, we have 53 pledges for $170,000. We need an additional 53 pledges totaling $70,000 to make our budget goals. This past year, we took $187,000, 8.8%, from our endowment. We must reduce this or risk a further decline of the total endowment.

If you have made your annual pledge, we sincerely thank you. If you have not pledged, St. John's Church needs your help.

Jim Swager, Junior Warden

[This is a copy of a stewardship address given in church November 11, 2007.]