Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
I was having lunch with our bishop, Amy Dafler-Meaux, recently and among several topics that we talked about, the long term effects of the pandemic upon our congregations came up. The bishop told me that she had heard said that, in the wake of the second World War, it became the norm, with a sense of obligation, for people to go to church. This practice carried on for decades. Perhaps each of us grew up with the standard practice of getting up on Sunday morning, dressing in our best and going to worship. With the coming of Covid-19 and the uncertainty of the seriousness of the pandemic, social gathering was brought to a stop in many situations, including in person attendance and worship at churches. With that, the growth of worship, study and gathering via livestreaming, ZOOM and YouTube took off. It provided an opportunity for even small congregations to meet an audience perhaps larger than they had ever known in the life of the church, which was hopeful. But the opposite side of the coin was the realization that “I don’t have to go to church.” We gave ourselves permission to worship from home, but we also gave ourselves permission to simply stop taking part in the life of the church. When the restrictions of the pandemic were lifted, or at least softened, we saw a short term explosion in attendance, which then settled back down to the decision that, “I can go if I want to, but I can do something else if I decide to.”
Ultimately, we are at that point of understanding that people who attend church in person now aren’t here out of some long past sense of obligation. We are here because we want to be here. We want to engage in the worship of the church in a personal manner. We want to receive the body and blood of Christ. We want to be able to greet one another, pass the peace and share in fellowship (and coffee). So what else can we expect from one another by coming together in person? What accountability can be expected of us because we willfully decide to join in the life of the church?
As you have already found enclosed in this envelope is a stewardship card, asking for your annual financial commitment to our church. The vestry and I are asking you to again prayerfully consider what you are willing to give. Although it looks like we are going to end the year at least breaking even, if not a little in the black, it would be nice to try to plan for some growth for next year. I, of course, don’t know what anyone gives individually or what their financial situation is like, but I want to ask you to consider what being a part of a growth budget would look like. Of course, this could mean simply increasing your pledge commitment. It can also mean being willing to contribute or to underwrite the cost of projects or supplies. Growth also comes in being willing to be more actively involved in the work of the church. We have not had a secretary to answer the phone or to do simple clerical work for many years. Could you volunteer time to cover that need. We can always benefit from the background and experience of anyone willing to lead study or to facilitate organized conversation. We can always use help in maintaining the building between professional cleanings. On Sunday mornings there is still a need for people to greet attendees, guide people to the communion rail, to sit with visitors and make them feel welcome. We enjoy having coffee following the 10:00 service, but volunteers to make coffee and to bring muffins or pastries have fallen off again. There are all sorts of opportunities to make our church more appealing, but it takes more than just a handful of people to keep those activities going.
In this coming year, I am going to try to find people and programs that might help us to learn how to be a successful church in a rapidly growing and changing community. We exist in a sort of bubble as a part of the historic portion of Lee’s Summit, and I wonder if being in that bubble prevents us from being able to look at what we might become, a church that holds to the good parts of its history and traditions, but also is a church that attracts new people who have differing ideas, new ideas, that would help insure our ongoing existence, growth in membership and funding and an increased ability to be a strong resource to our community and to our diocese.
Thank you for your continued faith, dedication and support of our blessed congregation.
Fr. Tim +
Stewardship Pledge 2026
“I/We will share from God’s abundance in our lives and are committed to the mission and ministry of St. Paul’s.“