TO GOD'S FAITHFUL PEOPLE AT ST. PATRICK'S: Greetings in the Name of the Lord.

TO GOD'S PEOPLE AT ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH:   The Lord God has truly blessed us at St. Patrick's this Fall.  Not only have we enjoyed the celebration of our 50th Anniversary (that great Church planner, Bishop Lauriston Livingston Scaife, our late bishop, must be rejoicing in Heaven to see the success of the endeavor he started), but, also, your Vestry has authorized the letting of a contract to replace our leaky and ant-ridden church roof with a new, highest quality, covering.  We should have the work done before the snow flies (barring an early storm like we had last year.) 

Just how did this happen?  I believe it is from a number of people exercising their faith as expressed in stewardship and a number of others working steadily and doing their duty to "work, pray, and give for the spread of Christ's Kingdom."  (1928 Book of Common Prayer.)   The job will be fully paid for, with no borrowing necessary.  Thanks be to God, and to His faithful people who love the Church enough to see that it gets done.  We still have some major needs and aspirations that will require more fundraising and, probably will require that we seek a loan at the most favorable rate we can find.  We will need the approval of the Diocesan Trustees for this, plus give evidence to them that we have a plan in place, backed by capital fund gifts and pledges, to pay off the loan.  The Vestry will consider all options in the course of discharging their sacred DUTY and TRUST.   This new work, hopefully to be done in the spring, will include the expansion and paving of our parking areas, landscaping, and some necessary renovations to our much used kitchen.  I call on all of us to work, pray, and give for these goals that we believe will both enhance our Church, and make it more attractive and inviting, sending a message to those around us that invites them in for a visit, and, possibly to find a Church home.                                                                            

I must make a confession and share some personal growth.  When I was the part-time and bi-vocational rector of another of Bishop Scaife's Church plantings, St. Martin in the Field's, Grand Island (1969-1971), our vestry had a deep desire to pave the parking lot and driveways.  I resisted this, because I thought we couldn't afford it, and that a new layer of stone would be just as good, and that it was only a matter of parish vanity.  I was wrong.  Under the leadership of Fr. Earl King, St. Martin's has beautified and made much safer for walking, parking and entering and exiting the church..  This new presentation of the parish to the community has led, along with the faith and hard work of that congregation, to a redevelopment of their facilities and the addition of an attractive and more functional addition for offices and Church school rooms.  Watching how well they have done this, and how one of the net results of this growth has been to stabilize their weekly church attendance, I have come to believe that similar work at St. Patrick's along with living our faith, doing outreach, and carrying out our bounden duty, will accomplish the same thing here, with God's help.  Haven't we always had God's help these past fifty years?  How can we fail if we put the Lord and our faith and duty first? 

FAITH and DUTY:  In a recent Sunday Gospel reading from St. Luke, the Apostles, feeling challenged, and perhaps a little desperate, to follow Jesus' teaching to use the tool of forgiveness with recalcitrant fellow followers who offended against them and then truly repented, even as many as seven time a day, implored Jesus to increase their faith so they could do it.  Jesus first said, in essence, that even if they had only a little faith, they could do it (Matthew 17:14-20), and then told a story that made it plain that faith gives power to do their DUTY, in this case, forgiveness, and further, doing their DUTY will INCREASE their faith.  Mother Barbara Crafton, of the Geranium Farm in Metuchen, New Jersey had an interesting discourse on this theme in one of her "almost daily e-mail."  If you'd like to read her comments, go to GeraniumFarm.org on the internet.  While you are there you may subscribe to receive her almost daily meditations at no charge.  Thank you, Mother Barbara.                                                                                                 

Perhaps we must talk more of duty, especially if doing our duty strengthens our faith.  In the 1928 "Book of Common Prayer," the Second Office of Instruction, taught us, and led us to say that "our bounden duty is to worship God every Sunday in His Church, and to work, and pray, and give for the spread of His Kingdom."  This will sound familiar to many older Episcopalians who learned it as a part of their confirmation preparation.  Our current Prayer Book also speaks of our Duty to God and our Duty to our neighbor (pp. 847-848) but not in such a clear and compelling way as the 1928 Prayer Book.  I note that the Scouting movement gets a lot of teaching about what they believe through the regular recitation of the Scout Oath, which declares, in part, "On my honor I will do my best to do my DUTY to God and to my country and to obey the Scout Law...."   Perhaps the Church, or even a congregation, needs to develop such an oath as a matter of teaching and encouragement and use it regularly, maybe following the form used in the old Second Office of Instruction that I quoted above.  Do we still remember and hold the imperative that Sunday Church attendance, work, and prayer, and giving are DUTIES and essential ways of fulfilling our baptismal vows and prospering our churches?                                                               

Recently, CHURCH FACTS, our Diocesan newspaper, presented data and graphs showing how the Church has declined in membership, weekly Sunday attendance and stewardship.  Much of the cause of this decline may be understood as cultural and demographic, as the fervor of religious growth and interest that followed the end of the Second World War slowed down, and the national difficulties and values challenges caused by the Vietnam War and the two Iraq Wars served to deter citizens from their reliance on the mainstream Church.  Significantly, lost along the way, was some of our commitment to weekly worship, pledging, and giving.  This loss has hurt us and cries out for a recommitment to those duties of worship, work, prayer, and giving that the Church once taught so clearly and strongly.  I suggest that we as members of St. Patrick's Church have a contest to develop an oath for our congregation that emphasizes Church attendance, work, prayer and stewardship.  I propose to develop a committee which I will convene to judge these efforts, and present the several best to our Vestry who may vote a winner, a runner-up, and honorable mentions.  Winner will receive a new, leather bound, Prayer Book-Hymnal combination.  Each entry will receive a small hard bound edition of the Book of Common Prayer.  A sample approach might be as follows:  "On my honor, I will do my best to do my bounden duty to worship God every Sunday in his Church, and to work, and pray, and give for the spread of his kingdom."  Perhaps such an oath should reference our baptismal values.  All entries must be in by December 23, 2007.  Let's see what we can do!                                                                      

Speaking of duty and commitment, central to our hopes and dreams outlined above, is our 2007 stewardship campaign.  We have to plan (so it gets done) to put our offering money where our heart is.  I will share my personal history and giving here at St. Patrick's as a witness, not for approval, but as an example of what we can do.  I try to be a tither, but try not to be too legalistic or rigid about it.  The largest part of my tithe goes to St. Patrick's, but not all of it.  A portion must go to Episcopal Community Services, and to other, perhaps more secular charities like UNICEF, Doctors without Borders, the World Wildlife Fund, and at least one world hunger organization.  I pick these charities carefully and prayerfully.  I support, in a small way, another parish, too.  What's important for 2008 is to make the commitment, and to try as part of our duty to fulfill it.  My prayer is that St. Patrick's will do this, and that each of you will do likewise, as we look forward to a joyful Advent, Christmas and Epiphany.  We have so much for which to be thankful.

Peace and Blessings, Fr. John+

PS.  Since my article was written several weeks ago, the Vestry has been taking note of the stewardship response this year.  It continues to be difficult to do, since many of those in our congregation do not make a pledge commitment on a pledge card, though, obviously, many do in their mind and practice.  The Vestry, however, feels bound to respond to the Diocesan convention's request for a commitment and a response to a "Fair Share" asking.  If you have followed the Diocesan newspaper "CHURCH ACTS" you know some parishes do give that “extra mile,” which helps keep the work going on in the Diocese.  I have been very encouraged by discussions of the Vestry with this issue, and think we have started to put a plan in place.  We are to make our decision at the December Vestry meeting, so if you have comment (or, even, choose to attend) please communicate your thoughts to me or Karen Gengo, Warden, or any Vestry person.  It fits our parish style that much of the impetus and understanding of the need for this upgrade in our pledge to the Diocese has come from our youth, who realize that our Diocesan Youth Minister is not fully funded for the amount of work he does, which our youth truly values.  Please keep our Vestry in your prayers as we make this important decision.