As I begin my address this morning, there are, perhaps, a few things you could be thinking: 1)All of the Rector’s Annual Reports sound quite similar; or 2) If he tries to rehearse the past 8 years, we’ll be here into the afternoon. However, one of the things I am thinking is this: We are not dating anymore! Entering our 9th year together, ours is a long-term relationship. Back in February of 2000, there were two things I said to you by way of introduction: I prayed that my time with you as Rector would be characterized and experienced as our shared vocation to grow—as individuals and as a parish—in response to God’s call in Christ; and that we enjoy the venture. I believe that has held true. I also believe we would be here well into the afternoon and longer were we to catalogue our many projects, special events, liturgies—in short, the sacramental moments at Saint Luke’s during these past years; or, quite frankly, even throughout the year just ended.

Therefore, I will let it suffice for these two things to be said: When it comes to ministry, more than any parish I have ever known, you, the people of Saint Luke’s, are the most willing to give of yourselves, sometimes volunteering and committing to more than one project at a time, and doing so time and again. Such is the strength of this parish—a living endowment of people invested and commissioned for the work of God in Christ: Baptismal Ministry. For my part, as Rector with you, I have in the past and will continue in the future to offer leadership that encourages people of faith to envision possibilities that they might have not recognized in ways they had not considered, so that together we better Know the Mind of Christ, Prayer the Prayer of Christ and Do the Deeds of Christ.

By the grace of God, our venture together as Saint Luke’s Church, is a work in progress. We have made much progress; there is yet much work to do. We are presently 109 households strong; welcoming 9 new households during 2007. It is also interesting to note that 50% of our parish membership joined after 2001. For all of us at Saint Luke’s, newer as well as longtime parishioners, 2008 will be a year of assessment—recalling our development in mission and ministry these past years and looking forward to what God has in store for Saint Luke’s future. Thus, 2008 will be a year for discussion amongst all the people of the parish. To that end, I am announcing a series of “Conversations with the Rector” to take place during this year. Whether Tuesday lunches, Wednesday afternoon tea or Saturday morning bagel and coffee, I would like the opportunity to meet with all of you to listen and to converse about life and life at Saint Luke’s.
Yes, 2008 will be a time to listen and to take a close look so that 2009, the 10th year of our ‘Vision and Venture’, will become Year One of a new congregational plan.

My letter to you last week, encouraging the entire parish to participate in this meeting, made a few things clear: First, the 2008 pledge campaign is Saint Luke’s best ever. With a pledge promise of $206,500, the average pledge of $2,504 is better than both the diocesan and national church average; and this in precarious economic times. At the same time, the pledge total is short of the resources we need to fund what we would consider to be our desired budget—desired because it would provide the resources for what we believe to be our faithful response to God’s call at this time. For the present, the Vestry has had to adopt a 2008 budget with $10K reductions that will affect the expression of our various ministries and overall mission as a parish. Yet, at the same time you are hearing elaborations regarding these reductions, you will also learn of a February campaign to recover that amount for our life together, our vocation in Christ, 2008. Please, following the dismissal at today’s Holy Eucharist, do not leave through the Greenway South doors but enter into our fellowship and discussion through the parish hall doors.

It’s not just about 2008 but about our ‘Vision and Venture’ 2009 and beyond, as we consider the various shapes our ministry can take given the resources with which we have been blessed. Therefore, rather than an extensive outline I offer a suggestive reflection for the work God has given us to do.

Everything we are and each thing we do is a presentation of Christ. Every liturgy, program, project and event should be bringing us and each other closer to God. What can we afford? We cannot afford not to present Christ. We can afford, by God’s grace, to proclaim the Gospel. We do a lot at Saint Luke’s Church. Yet, we need to be careful about ‘balance’. While stretching is a creative challenge, being stretched thin is dangerous. Especially given financial constraints, we have to be careful not to turn raising money into our mission.

Everything we are and each thing we do is for someone who is not yet a member of Saint Luke’s.
Our doors opening wide, our hearts opening wide to all people is crucial. Such openness implies our willingness to change and grow; trying things and taking risks to proclaim the Gospel to more people. Yes, our faith community, our parish family, needs nurture and the experience of quality life together. Yet, such a life in Christ is not about settling in but going out.

The heart of our existence is outreach—service in imitation of Christ.
This collect from Morning Prayer says it all: “Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen” (BCP 101).

We are part of a larger mission, members of a wider Church.
When a new person comes to Saint Luke’s Church, she or he does so not because of anything they yet know about our particular warmth and flavor but, in many cases, because of what they hear or know about The Episcopal Church. No parish is an island entire to itself. By the Holy Spirit, as The Body of Christ, we have our life in our mutual relatedness. We need to support the larger mission of the church; we need to support the larger church of which we are a part.

Saint Luke’s is treasured; We have a distinctive calling.
Think of all the people who would miss us if Saint Luke’s Church were not here; and I am not just talking about we the members of this parish but everyone with whom we come in contact and all those who venture in to our various services of worship, faith education programs, musicals, farces, auctions and white elephants. We offer God’s embrace not judgmental warning. To all visitors we extend Christ’s hospitality while they are here and spirituality they can take when they have to go. We proclaim the Gospel while looking compassionately upon today’s world. We proclaim good news and express our faith in commitment to God’s will for a better world. Yes, there are the nuts and bolts to which we must attend: an accessibility ramp into the church, an antiquated electrical system, a kitchen the challenges and frustrates; boilers and budgets. In and through it all, ours is a high and noble calling. Whether you have been a member of Saint Luke’s for 5 months, 5 years or 35, we are all 95ers in this 95th Anniversary Year of Saint Luke’s Church. The presentations yet to be made during the Annual Meeting, our conversations this year, and our new development of ‘Vision and Venture’ will bring us to our 100th anniversary celebration in 2013 when we will be able to say our ministry as the People of Saint Luke’s Church is our being the Body of Christ in our words and deeds with others.
AMEN.

Back