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ST. JOHN’S CATHEDRAL STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN 2024

DEAR PEOPLE OF GOD,

IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE. ~ JESUS

God created the human being in order to be generous. We were designed to care for each other, for this beautiful earth, and to give of ourselves. When we give, we push back on the cultural obsession with the self that permeates American culture. When we give, we enter into a joyful relationship with God, with each other, and with the world. Giving makes us healthy.

Giving is essential for a fulfilling life. But why give to the church? Why not just give to worthy causes and non-profits?

The church is our spiritual home. It is the place where we encounter God in community. Since I was a little child, I have found myself at home in church. When I was only five, I felt safe on Sundays. People were kind and welcoming. I learned how to carry a torch, I joined the youth group. I found a home, where I could be myself and be loved.

St. John’s Cathedral is home to a diversity of people. Incredible humans from all walks of life find themselves welcomed and loved here. We embrace the homeless, the disenfranchised, as well as people who are incredibly intelligent and successful. We are committed to being a safe home for the LGBTQ+ community. If we are to thrive and provide this kind of refuge in Jacksonville, we need your generosity.

Please consider increasing your pledge this year by at least 10%. God is calling us to serve Jesus here in the heart of this city. There has never been a more crucial time to provide a safe home to love Jesus alongside others. In the following pages, you will find many reasons why giving to St. John’s Cathedral is a worthy endeavor. I invite your generosity and your joy.

May God bless you.

DEAR CATHEDRAL FAMILY,

As we enter into our annual stewardship season, when we focus our attention on how we each play a role in taking care of our church home, one of Dean Kate’s recent sermons comes to mind. She spoke of the “bigger picture” and reminded us that we are all part of something greater than ourselves. She asserted that God’s will often involves many people and many moving parts and that we are not meant to do things alone. Each of us lives in community here at this Cathedral church. And like the early church, we share our resources so that together we can grow in love, hope, and faith to create a dynamic, effective, and joyful ministry. Many hands make light work!

We were blessed to find St. John’s Cathedral during the last several years, first drawn in by Dean Kate’s morning messages during the COVID-19 pandemic and then falling in love with the Cathedral’s consistently relevant programming, worship, and outreach, as well as its diverse and faithful congregation. We are constantly in awe of the depth and breadth of the many offerings designed to inform, engage, and inspire – and of the profound influence this church has on the larger Jacksonville community. We hope this booklet, the work of many hands, instills that same sense of awe.

Softening our focus and letting our peripheral vision take in a bigger picture allows us to see less with our eyes and more with our senses, including our heart. A wider perspective expands our sense of place and spiritual community. As part of a larger Body of Christ, we hear his words in our heart: “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

Living into our charge as Christians to go forth and make a difference is often hard, especially as we try to understand and navigate the difficult issues in this world today. But if we are to spread the word, help those in need, minister to the sick and suffering, and heal the brokenness that is simply part of being human, we need sacred spaces like St. John’s Cathedral to help us accomplish this collectively. We can do so much more in unison. More than ever, we need this campus to be a welcome home for those who are marginalized, for anyone who needs to feel Christ’s love, and for every person who walks through the doors seeking the joy found here— Love at the Core!

Like the house you live in, this church home requires love and care, and maintaining historic homes and buildings are an even greater challenge. Expenses needed to maintain our church infrastructure and the salaries of church staff must keep pace with inflation and the cost of living. Our projected budget, counting on your generosity and a 10% increase in pledging, reflects the reality and necessity of bringing operational expenses more in line with where they should be – a goal noted by our vestry as a priority for the next fiscal year.

In his book Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis famously said: “I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare.” The Holy Spirit has guided all of us to this Cathedral to be a living part of this community and church home, so that collectively we can build his Kingdom from the top of this little hill in Downtown Jacksonville. Please prayerfully consider what you can contribute to allow the vital and vibrant work of St. John’s to multiply – like the fishes and the loaves – and for God’s love to continue to guide us into a miraculous and mysterious bigger picture.

– Buck and Laura Jane Pittman, Stewardship Campaign Co-Chairs

STEWARDSHIP VISION

AT ST. JOHN’S, WORSHIP IS A WAY OF LIFE. GOD IS REVEALED AND GLORIFIED THROUGH THE SACRAMENTS, OUR LITURGY, PREACHING, MUSIC, AND IN COMMUNION WITH EACH OTHER.

THE POWER AND GRACE OF OUR COMFORTER ARE ALSO FOUND IN SILENT MEDITATION, THOSE PROFOUND ENCOUNTERS WITH THE MAJESTY OF HIS CREATION, OUR INTERACTION WITH OTHERS WHO SHARE A COMMON BELIEF, THOSE WHO WOULD TEACH US ANOTHER WAY TO UNDERSTAND OUR CREATOR, AND THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND THEIR WAY. WHILE WORSHIP OCCURS WITHIN THE CATHEDRAL, IT CAN AND SHOULD BE EXPERIENCED IN OUR HOMES AND PLACES OF WORK, AS WELL AS ON THE STREETS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE WORLD AT LARGE.

28,000

200,000

215,000

$ 147,276

153,700

1,458,931

YOUR PLEDGE MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Here at St. John’s, the lives of hundreds of people are touched each week. One hundred percent of your pledges and offerings go to operating costs, which include salaries, utilities, and maintenance, as well as all programs and events.

Through worship, Christian formation and education for all ages, parish activities, music and art events, community outreach, online offerings, pastoral care, facility space for other partner organizations, and much more, St. John’s reaches not only its parishioners but the larger Jacksonville community in which we all play a vital part.

OUR GOAL FOR 2024

IS TO

INCREASE

GIVING BY 10%

COUNTING ON YOUR GENEROSITY, HERE IS A SNAPSHOT OF THE AMAZING AND DIVERSE WORK WE DO AND SOME PLANS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.

OUR CAMPUS & FACILITIES

More than 500 visitors enter the St. John’s campus each week – for worship, work, meetings, support, or to shop at our bookstore. St. John’s Cathedral was built in 1906 in the Gothic Revival architectural style. Its previous buildings were burned twice – once by Federal troops in 1863 and a second time during the Great Fire of 1901.

St. John’s Cathedral Bookstore & Gift Shop, located in the Brown House at 221 E. Church Street, generates profits for outreach and has a particular emphasis on local, regional, and international social enterprises and fair-trade companies.

A Facilities Manager and Head Sexton was added to our staff this year to manage property issues and oversee the sextons that keep our five buildings and gardens and just under 50,000 square feet of property up and running.

WITH YOUR HELP AND A 10% INCREASE IN PLEDGES...

“…WE WILL CONTINUE OUR IMPORTANT WORK MAINTAINING THESE UNIQUE HISTORIC BUILDINGS, WHICH THIS YEAR WILL INCLUDE REPAIR AND WATERPROOFING OF OUR EXTERIOR WALLS AND WORK ON CUMMINGS CHAPEL.”

– Paul Calewarts, Facilities Manager and Head Sexton

WORSHIP

Sunday Worship is attended by an average of more than 300 people, with several hundred more attending online.

Church Without Walls, a ministry of presence for un-housed community members, takes place each Sunday afternoon in the Dean’s Garden.

Wednesday Healing Services are offered in Cummings Chapel each week.

Dean Kate’s Morning Devotion reaches a wide online audience daily, not only in Jacksonville but also nationally/internationally.

Contemplative Prayer Services are held in Cummings Chapel through our Center for Prayer and Spirituality.

CathedralCare worship services are held weekly for residents and staff of the not-for-profit skilled nursing center in the Cathedral District.

WITH YOUR HELP AND

A 10% INCREASE IN PLEDGES...

“…WE PLAN TO GROW OUR SUNDAY WORSHIP, BOTH VIRTUAL AND IN PERSON, MARKET THE DAILY DEVOTIONALS TO A WIDER AUDIENCE, AND CONTINUE TO EXPLORE NEW FORMS OF WORSHIP.”

– The Very Rev. Kate Moorehead Carroll, Dean

MUSIC & ARTS

The Cathedral Choir enhances worship each week and presents regular concerts including the tradition of Choral Evensongs in Advent and Lent and Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols on New Year’s Eve.

At least 20 Music Events are planned for the upcoming year, including the UNF Jazz Ensemble, Hand Pan concerts, a new Jazz in the Garden series, the First Coast Flute Choir, the Civic Orchestra of Jacksonville, Jacksonville Masterworks Chorale, and the First Coast Wind Symphony.

Organ and Vocal Recitals are held regularly at St. John’s, as we share our magnificent organ and sanctuary with the community. This spring, we will host a guest organist from Notre Dame Cathedral, in conjunction with the Beaches Fine Arts Series.

The Painting Place holds two weekly classes open to artists of varying levels, the Art Class and the Day Art Group.

The Art Guild continues to sponsor local and regional artists of note through Art Exhibitions in the Cathedral’s Art Gallery in Taliaferro Hall.

An Icon Writing Retreat with Teresa Harrison will take place during Advent.

WITH YOUR HELP AND A 10% INCREASE IN PLEDGES...

“…WE WILL BE UNDERGOING A COMPLETE RENOVATION OF OUR MUSIC SUITE IN THE CATHEDRAL HOUSE, WHICH WILL PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED UPGRADES TO OUR REHEARSAL SPACES AND STORAGE, INCLUDING THAT OF OUR EXTENSIVE LIBRARY OF MORE THAN 1,000 WORKS OF MUSIC.”

– Tim Tuller, Canon for Music i

CHILDREN & YOUTH

Christian Formation is offered on Sunday mornings for ages 5 through high school.

The Hakimian Nursery provides a loving place, fun, and crafts on Sundays for our littlest parishioners from birth through age 4.

Our Acolyte Program continues to grow and is open to anyone in third grade or beyond. We currently have participating parishioners from 8 to 88.

Youth Group meets regularly for our teens, with group studies, social activities, and events.

One-Room Schoolhouse Christian education this summer brought all ages together, learning and creating exciting projects together.

The Cathedral School holds weekly chapel services in our sanctuary for students, led by St. John’s clergy.

St. Mary’s was blessed to have the St. John’s youth participate in three workdays over the summer, where they learned about its critically important food pantry ministry.

Family Promise is a ministry supported by our youth, and they participated in its Cardboard City challenge to support the homeless and made dinner for the families it supports.

WITH YOUR HELP

AND A 10% INCREASE IN PLEDGES...

“…WE PLAN TO HIRE A PART-TIME CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILY FORMATION MINISTER TO EXPAND PROGRAMMING AND INVOLVEMENT FOR THIS ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR CONGREGATION.”

– Megan Cochran, Director of Youth Ministries

LEARNING & GROWING

Discipleship Groups, Book Clubs, Art @ Noon, and Education for Ministry (EfM is a four-year theological education learning certificate program) are just a few of the many small group offerings at St. John’s.

In-depth Bible Studies, including Reading Between the Lines and Mapping the Gospels, have taken place with both in-person and online options.

The Sacred Ground program is offered through Becoming Beloved Community, the Episcopal Church’s work toward racial reconciliation, healing, and justice. We have had 15 small groups complete the study, in conjunction with St. Philip’s, and many book studies have developed out of the program.

Conversations in Community following summer Sunday worship discussed transformative issues such as addiction, role of the church in city government, the importance of public parks, artificial intelligence, and climate change.

Green Spirits, an outreach and social networking group, hosts educational events and walks with a focus on learning about, protecting, and renewing God’s earth.

Our Parish Retreat at Camp Weed was a wonderful chance to come together, providing education, social, recreational activities – including square dancing.

The Center for Prayer and Spirituality holds monthly Quiet Garden Mornings, contemplative classes, and prayer services throughout the year.

Contemplative Yoga is held weekly in Cummings Chapel, reaching participants ages teens to 80s.

WITH YOUR HELP

AND A 10% INCREASE IN PLEDGES...

“…WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR IMPORTANT WORK ADDRESSING DIFFICULT ISSUES OF OUR TIME, AS WELL AS INCREASING OUR DIVERSE SMALL GROUP AND PROGRAM OFFERINGS.”

– Owene Courtney, Director of Christian Formation

VIRTUAL PARISH LIFE

Notes on Music weekly video by Canon for Music Tim Tuller shares an overview and education about the upcoming Sunday’s service music.

Evening Compline, Digital Disciples Sunday Class, Monthly Book Clubs, Virtual Bible Studies, and Morning Prayer spread our mission and gospel to a wide virtual audience.

Our YouTube channel provides videos of streamed worship services, morning devotions, weekly sermons, and many parish events.

ONLINE LISTENERS TELL US:

“Kate offers something new each day for us to learn or ponder. I connect from a village called Hilton, in the province of Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa.”

“This is the first time I have been to a Christmas Day service from the inside of a semitruck trapped in the storm in PA. Happy Christmas. God be with you!”

“We are blessed with a beautiful cathedral here at Peterborough (UK). However, the Church is more than a physical building. Online prayers and worship like yours have proven that fact.”

WITH YOUR HELP AND A 10% INCREASE IN PLEDGES...

“…WE WILL CONTINUE TO OFFER EXCELLENT VIDEO PRODUCTION, UPGRADE OUR WEBSITE, AND WORK TO EXPAND OUR DIGITAL MARKETING PRESENCE.”

– Nancy Purcell, Director of Marketing and Communications

PASTORAL CARE

Clergy Visits are some of our most important behind-the-scenes work as we offer a compassionate presence for those in need during both difficult and joyful times.

Licensed Lay Pastoral Care Ministers visit parishioners at home and in hospitals, facilities, and hospice, providing companionship and a confidential listening ear.

Eucharistic Visitors, trained to administer communion, also perform a vital ministry as they rotate visiting in-need members weekly.

Sunday Prayer Intercessors are available in the side chapel during Communion for special prayers and requests.

Daughters of the King, a lifelong women’s order of the Episcopal Church, strengthens the spiritual life of the community through prayer, service, and evangelism.

Walking the Mourner’s Path, a national grief support program, works with small groups of mourners through spiritually-directed workshops.

WITH YOUR HELP AND A 10% INCREASE IN PLEDGES...

“…WE CAN OFFER OUR MINISTRY OF RELATIONSHIP TO EVEN MORE OF OUR PARISH AND THE COMMUNITY, BRINGING THE LIGHT OF CHRIST INTO EVEN THE DARKEST PLACES.”

– The Rev. Gee Alexander, Associate Priest for Pastoral Care

CONNECTING WITH OUR COMMUNITY

The Outreach Council organizes many initiatives to better the community. St. John’s supports Blessings in a Backpack, St. Mary’s Food Pantry, Angel Tree Prison Ministry, Hunger Fight, Family Promise, and OneBlood.

Alcoholics Anonymous, Boy Scouts, River City Mindfulness Meditation, Episcopal School of Jacksonville, Cathedral Arts Project, The Cathedral School, and other organizations use our campus for worship, meetings, rehearsals, and support each week.

The JaxLab CityLab center for architecture education and research, a partnership with the University of Florida, will be housed on the third floor of our Cathedral building, which is currently undergoing renovations. Beginning in the fall of 2024, the center will enroll approximately 30 students working toward a Master of Architecture, Master of Science in Architectural Studies, or graduate certificate.

Cathedral District Jax, our development partner that encompasses 36 blocks around five historic houses of worship, continues its work to revitalize this area to become a vibrant neighborhood that appeals to a broad cross-section of residents.

The Cathedral Arts Project just celebrated its 30th year of professional art education for children from under-resourced communities, including dance, music, theatre, and visual arts. Its String Orchestra Trio just won first prize at an international music competition and performed at Carnegie Hall.

Kids Connect Therapy Camp for children with special needs provides summer instruction in social/emotional skills, language development, and activities and is held on our campus.

Community Outreach Concerts for underprivileged students, sponsored by the Beaches Fine Arts Series, are held in our sanctuary.

Same-Sex Marriages are performed at St. John’s through a special dispensation from the Diocese of Florida. We remain committed to ministering to every member of the Jacksonville community.

WITH YOUR HELP AND A 10% INCREASE IN PLEDGES...

–

Director of Parish Engagement and Development

“…WE LOOK FORWARD TO PUTTING MORE TIME, RESOURCES, AND ENERGY INTO HELPING OTHERS, WHICH CAN HAVE A LASTING EFFECT ON THE SUCCESS OF COMMUNITIES AND STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS WITH GOD.”

Pam Searcy,

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP

• IF YOU HAVE NOT TURNED IN A PLEDGE BEFORE, PLEASE DO SO THIS YEAR. THE AMOUNT IS NOT IMPORTANT, AND YOU CAN MODIFY YOUR PLEDGE AT ANY TIME THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

• IF YOU PLEDGE REGULARLY, CONSIDER UPPING YOUR PLEDGE BY 10%.

• CONSIDER WORKING TOWARD A TITHE – 10% OF YOUR INCOME – WHICH HAS BIBLICAL ORIGINS AND IS A TRADITIONAL GIVING GOAL.

WEEKLY GIVING GUIDE