How do we deepen our commitment to God?
Dear Friends,
This Sunday, the church will begin the new liturgical year with the first Sunday of Advent. The church will be decked out in evergreens and blue ribbons. As one author wrote, “Advent themes are traditionally hope, peace, joy, and love - all gifts from God to the earth. Can these gifts be prioritized? Illuminated? What would the world look like if we focused on gifts from God?” Annunciation has a tradition of sharing our gifts with the world, without reservation. For decades, we have welcomed any and all to our church services. We’ve welcomed almost 17,000 volunteers to our guesthouse and rebuilt 109 homes in Broadmoor. We threw open our doors to a preschool that had lost its home. Last week, we broke bread with 100 people on our campus for a delicious Thanksgiving meal. People who are without a home or without family came to worship and to eat at tables set with love. This Fall, we launched small groups for adults. We now have four small groups that meet regularly. It’s our largest adult formation participation in many years. I hope you are as proud as we are with how Annunciation used the gifts given to it. So the question is, how will you share your gifts in 2018? We invite you to reflect on your life and see how you are connecting with God and your neighbor through prayer, worship, learning, and service. In many churches at this time of year, annual pledge drives are held asking members to recommit and increase their giving to the church. The Vestry feels called to continue Annunciation’s stewardship and affirm our belief that we are not a church about money but rather we are deeply concerned and committed to seeing one another grow in our faith. So as we approach this time of year when we recommit ourselves to our families, our faith, our future, we invite you to ask yourself: How will I recommit myself to God in 2018? What is my pledge to God? Here at Annunciation, we commit to God in several ways.
So what’s your best effort in using your gifts? No amount is too small. Each and every pledge of support for Annunciation represents not just much-needed funding, but a vote of confidence in our church. Many small, regular pledges add up to a big vote of confidence. Annunciation is currently renegotiating its mortgage from debt incurred after Katrina. We need everyone associated with Annunciation to make a financial commitment in order to show the strong support our small but vibrant and growing congregation has. We need to prove to ourselves, before God, and to others that Annunciation will continue to dig deeply and do great things for the world. Pledge cards may be turned in on Sunday. Members of the vestry will reach out to follow up in the next two weeks. In Christ, Annette Sisco, Ned Rannells, Glenys Hall, Todd Gonczy, Jerrie Hoffman, Martha McKnight, and Robert Perry The Vestry of Annunciation
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