Wednesday Word: A Pledge Story
As you are probably very aware, we are in the midst of our annual pledge drive here at St. John's. By now you have received my letter, along with the letter from the Stewardship Commission that included a pledge card, a proportional giving chart, and a return envelope. The goal is to have as many pledge cards as possible returned by November 12, when we we close out the pledge drive with a Celebration Sunday and coffee hour hosted by the Vestry.
In my letter I encouraged you to be bold in Christ. Whether that was by adding St. John's to your personal budget, giving on a regular basis, or becoming a pledger or tither. Another aspect of being bold in Christ is being taken on by several people whom I have asked to present a short talk about their life at St. John's. This past Sunday, Tammy Martinez boldly stepped into the lectern and told us (briefly) about her life in the church.
Today's Wednesday Word is presented by Tammy Martinez:
Praise the Lord, church?!!
Church responds: Praise the Lord!
(**Note: This took a couple of times, but we got it – Fr. Todd)
My name is Tamara Martinez. My husband Allan and I have been members for almost four years. My Christian background is uncommon yet interesting, and I don’t believe I’m just here by mere coincidence; so I’d like to share my story on stewardship and why it’s important for me. To illuminate on stewardship's importance I have to tell you a little about myself… I’m from Frederick. I grew up in a Pentecostal church. Yes, we believe in speaking in tongues and the HOLY GHOST. Not the just the Holy Spirit, but THE. HOLY. GHOST. My foundation was rooted in going to church and I loved it. We had the best choir and band, we could sing and we praised the Lord! It was at my little church named “Open Door Christian Community Church of God” where I truly fell in love with God. The Spirit was alive and contagious and it resonated in my soul.
My mother is a holy woman who loves the LORD and she made sure her children did too. We were the kids who were always at church: we were in the choir, we were always at the 1st and 2nd service, we were there when other churches visited, and we even stayed to clean up. So tithing, or in Episcopal terms “pledging,” was as common to me as singing in the choir. My mother always paid her tithes no matter what she had or what she didn’t have. I remember when I was a child I asked her why she did it, and she said that when she pledges her rewards are multiplied, and that God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor 9:7). At first, I didn’t understand. I thought that it meant we would receive money back from God; but as I became older I realized it meant in all ways my rewards would be multiplied …peace, happiness, job security, wisdom, grace … And so I support all our stewardship endeavors because all my help, my happiness, my blessings, this amazing church family of St. John's are not a mere coincidence, and my foundation is the church. Amen.
Thank you, Tammy. And may you and your family continue to both bless and be blessed by the people of St. John's.
Todd+