Being the Church

Over the years, our congregation has earned a reputation in the community for caring as much about others as ourselves. Our worship is beautiful, but so is our outreach. We love each other, but we also share that love with everyone regardless of who they are or what they believe. During the pandemic, every congregation has had to find new ways to be the church—to carry out its ministries in a time of physical distancing while staying true to its identity. One way that St. Paul's has done that is through the generosity of the Easter Offering.

Every year at Easter and at Christmas, we invite each other to give something extra—something more than what we normally give to support the ministries of the church. When making the budget for the year, the Vestry sets aside that special income for outreach, trusting that whatever is received will help St. Paul's carry out its work of supporting the needs of our community. This year, when they set that budget based on what had been received in previous years, the Vestry anticipated that around $8000 would be received as the Easter Offering. So far, you have given $30,000.

In part, that is because of the deep generosity of our congregation, but I am certain that it is also because the Vestry decided in advance to set aside whatever was received for the special purpose of giving that money to individuals and families who have lost income because of the coronavirus. Many of us have not lost our jobs and are still secure in our homes. Some of us have lost substantial investment income but still feel the security of a considerable, if somewhat smaller, nest egg. A few of us, though, have lost all of their income and are now dependent upon a mixture of savings, stimulus and unemployment checks, and the generosity of others. Into that need, the people of St. Paul's have stepped.

Now, we have $30,000 to give to those in our community who need it most, but how will we give it away? How will we be sure that the people who receive it are the ones who can benefit from it the most? We need your help. So far, the Vestry and clergy have heard stories of people who have lost their income, but we have not heard of anyone in our congregation that needs our help, yet, given the wide range of economic struggle that the pandemic has brought, we trust that there are several among us who are in need. We expect to share this bounty beyond the members of our parish, but we hope to start with those with whom we already have a relationship. Have you lost your job or part of your income? Could you or someone close to you benefit from the generosity of St. Paul's? If so, let Suzanne or me know, or reach out to a member of the Vestry.

So far, we have not established a formal process for giving away these funds. Depending on the number of people who reach out to us with a need and how well we know them, we may develop an application form that would standardize the process and allow us to more thoroughly evaluate the needs presented to us, or we may discover that the best way for us to help those in need is by giving the money to an organization or agency that has figured that out already. At this point, we do not know exactly what the next step is, but we hope you will help us find it. Please, share your ideas with us. The need is considerable, and the timing is critical, but the opportunity before us is equally substantial.

While we want to be good stewards of the resources entrusted to us, what we really want is to give all this money away. For St. Paul's, that is what it means to be the church. That is what it means to carry out God's work in our community in a time of pandemic. If you have not given to the Easter Offering yet, consider sending in a check or giving online. When your stimulus payment arrives, if you have not lost income, consider giving some or all of it to help those in need. In your own way, look for how you can be the church in the midst of this pandemic. Remember that God is the source of all goodness, and remember that God calls you to share that goodness with those in need.

Yours Faithfully,

Evan