October 2015
St. Mark’s News Volume 19/Issue 9
From the Rector It is October, and among other things it means that it is the month for talking about stewardship. In August, the Finance Committee starts work on the budget for the next year so that we can present it at the Mission and Ministry meals the three Sundays in October (11, 18, and 25). Even our Gospel reading for October 11 will have money as its theme. In Mark 10:17-22 a wealthy man asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus reminds him of the commandments, to which he responds, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” Jesus then looks at him, loves him, and says, “You lack one thing: go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” The man was shocked by what Jesus had to say, and “went away grieving, for he had many possessions.” During this season of stewardship we are not asked to sell all that we own but we are invited and challenged to tithe what we have. The Biblical standard for giving is the tithe: 10% of our income. The tithe is also the standard of stewardship for the national Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Texas. Stewardship is about both the giver and the receiver - and ultimately it is about our relationship to God. Every Sunday morning at 7:30, prior to consecrating the elements we say, “All things come of Thee oh Lord, and of Thine own have we given Thee.” Do we believe that all that we have is a gift from God, even when it is the case that we have worked hard for what we In this Issue have? Do we believe that if we give God the “first fruits,” that 10% From the Rector .........................1 before we spend the remaining 90%, we will be taken care of? Is Vestry Highlights ........................2 God the giver of what we have, and can God be trusted to care for Parish Life ..................................5 us? Outreach ....................................6 Christian Formation ....................6 Caffeine Ministry ........................8 Parishioner Highlights ................9 Celebrations ............................. 10 ROTA .......................................11
So the first focus of our attention with respect to stewardship is God. The next focus of attention is we, the givers. I know only too well the anxiety of the unexpected and sometimes extraordinary expense and I have learned that it is important for me to write my check for my pledge on the first Sunday of the month so that I am not tempted to give God my leftovers. Learning to make this commitment, this priority, has changed me. Rather than leaving leftovers for God, the leftovers, as it were, go to the other appeals about which I care and have some passion. And finally, the recipient for those of us at St. Mark’s is St. Mark’s and the wider community in which we live. I am immensely thankful for the generous stewardship of this parish that enabled us to purchase a micro-home for the Community First! Village: the first Austin area Episcopal Church to do so. The Vestry, the Finance Committee, and I your Rector are committed to being faithful stewards of that which you have entrusted in our care. And finally, stewardship is about time and talent as well. We have only to look around St. Mark’s; we have only to experience our worship, to see the abundant fruits of stewardship of time and talent. For this I thank each of you for this stewardship of time, talent, and money.
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