Dear people of Saint John’s,
Every year around this time, I write to you to talk about the importance of giving to this incredible Parish Church. As you receive this letter, I want you to take a few moments and think about what you feel each time you enter the church, spend time with friends you have made at church, or hear about something exciting happening here at St. John’s. Seriously, take a moment right now!
What did you think of? What emotions or feelings did you have? I did this as I was preparing to write this letter, and the thing that leaped into my mind was the incredible amount of love I feel for this place and from this place every day I am here. One of the many things we do so well here at St. John’s is that we lead with love. We welcome people lovingly in the name of Jesus. We lend our helping hands to our community lovingly in the name of Jesus. We minister to the children and young people of this parish lovingly in the name of Jesus. We serve at the Altar lovingly in the name of Jesus. We give to St. John’s lovingly in the name of Jesus.
Love leads the way here, and this model of loving each other works so well because of its biblical grounding. 1 Corinthians 13:13 tells us, “So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” The first letter of Peter also speaks about being a loving community saying in 1 Peter 4:8-10: “Above all hold unfailing your love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. Practice hospitality ungrudgingly to one another. As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”
Last year, we hit every goal set for our pledge drive because we all love this place so much. This year, we must continue to “Lead with Love” and enable this place, bathed in the love of Jesus Christ, to celebrate his glory and to “let all we do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14. Each time we come to this church and spend time with this community of believers, we do so knowing that what we are taking part in is a two-thousand-year-old reflection of the love Jesus showed the world in his life, death, and resurrection. It is our bounden duty and service to continue that tradition of leading with love. By giving, volunteering, teaching, or simply showing up, we are each called to be representatives of God’s love.
Many of you have pledged to St. John’s for years, and others of you who receive this letter are new to this congregation so this is your first opportunity to pledge to St. John’s. Let’s all join together and, like the glorious company of heaven, lead with love by pledging support to St. John’s this year and for many years to come.
Yours in Christ,
The Rev. Christian M. Wood, Rector