Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart

Dear Beloved Child of God:

On my way to work one morning, on a day in New York some years ago, I took a slightly different route, and decided to stop at a street vendor for something to eat. As I approached the pushcart I saw two Middle Eastern looking men beside it, one tending the wagon. The other man was singing, and dancing. He was singing, in Arabic, Thanks be to God! Thanks be to God! as he danced in joyous circles on the sidewalk pavement. Sorry, he said, got carried away. No need to apologize, my friend: Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, rejoice! There is never a wrong time to praise God or thank God. Indeed, give thanks in all things, on all days, with a grateful heart. That is our theme this harvest season: give thanks with a grateful heart.

The stewardship committee has asked me to extend to you their invitation, on behalf of the parish, to give thankfully of what God has given you. What we receive we receive from God; all we have and all we are. We as God’s people have the right and the gift of making an offering of thanks. What we hope to do through our financial contributions to the ministries of the church is to enable it to carry on in its mission – which is the mission of Christ in this place, among these people we discover to be our neighbors.

Who is my neighbor? Near or far, humble or proud, strange or strangely familiar, my neighbor is a person like myself in one, chief, important thing: my neighbor is made in the image of God; my neighbor is one whom Jesus loves. Our mission is to bring that love into the world.

Together as we pursue our common mission let us put on Christ – and receive, and give, with joy and grateful hearts, in thanksgiving.

Faithfully yours,

Father John

The Rev. John Leech

Priest and Rector

Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart

Look back with gratitude,
Look forward with anticipation,
In all things give thanks.

—Christine Sine

(http://msainfo.us/2012/07/31/grateful-heart/)

October 2012

Stewardship Letter 2011

October 4, 2011

Dear Friends in Christ:

One of the most revered saints in the Christian calendar is Francis of Assisi. We celebrate his feast every October. We remember his generosity, his gratitude, and his desire to follow and imitate Jesus Christ. Early in the thirteenth century he gathered together the “little brothers” (Friars Minor) who followed a simple rule of life. They prayed, preached – and begged. They were “mendicant” friars, which meant that every day they sought donations for charity and for their own needs.

One of the most beloved of the early friars was Brother Juniper. Brother Juniper was patient and kind and humble. He knew Brother Francis tried to imitate Christ and to follow in His footsteps. But Brother Juniper thought himself too lowly to follow Christ directly. So he tried to follow Francis as Francis followed Christ, and he did it step by step. Francis moved his right foot, Juniper moved his right foot, Francis moved his left foot…

Another time, when Brother Juniper was visiting a small priory, all the other friars had to go out for some good reason and left him to prepare the evening meal for their return. “It’s too bad,” he said to himself, “that every day somebody has to go out and collect donations and cook when this is all a distraction from their prayers. I can take care of this need for the next two weeks.” So he went out and begged up a storm – into pots he had collected he poured water and into the water went whole chickens (un-plucked) and fresh eggs (un-shelled). When the friars got home there was Brother Juniper dancing around from pot to pot stirring his amazing concoction. And then he served up his feast…

The Brothers could not be angry, not for long. They rejoiced in their brother’s simple good will and generosity. And of course they dined out on the story for many a year.

Reflecting on his brother’s example of extreme gratitude, radical hospitality, and wild simplicity, Saint Francis exclaimed, “O! That we had a forest of such Junipers.”

We are not nearly so simple or systematic as the humble Brother Juniper. But we can rejoice and celebrate God’s abundance in our own way and feast on gratitude for God’s care and love for us. Whether we are giving for the feast in thanks or receiving from it with grateful hearts, we know that all we have is from God. And for that we rejoice.

Would you like to share in the feast? Would you make a gift toward our feast of gratitude this year? We promise not to cook it all at once … but we do plan to stir something up!

St. Alban’s Church seeks to be a welcoming, Christ-centered community committed to sharing Christ’s love, empowering people to grow spiritually, deepening our relationship with Christ and living out our faith in our community and the world.



The Rev. John Leech, Priest and Rector

St. Alban’s Episcopal Church
21405 82nd Place West
Edmonds, WA 98026
Phone: 425-778-0371
info@stalbansedmonds.org

(Stories from the life of brother Juniper as told by his little brothers, and retold in English by Raphael Brown.)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Oh, what the heck. It sounds simple enough to me! Throw this in the pot:

God willing
my/our intention is to make a financial contribution to St Alban’s Episcopal
Church as an offering of thanks to God for all he has given.

My/our prayerful commitment to a giving plan for 2012:
__$............................. per week
__$............................. per month
__$............................. per year
Name: ……………………………………………………………………………………
Address: ………………………………...……………..…………….…………….……..
City, State, Zip: …………………………………………………………….…………….
Telephone: …………………………………………………...…………………………..
Email: ……………………………………………….……………………………………
How shall I repay the Lord for all the good things he has done for me?
Psalm 116:10 (Book of Common Prayer)
__I/we prefer not to have envelopes for my/our weekly offering.
__I/we would like to include St Alban’s in my/our estate planning.

Please respond by November 6, 2011 (our celebration of All Saints and blessing of offerings)
Let us join in giving thanks for God's abundance.
St Alban’s Episcopal Church, 21405 82nd Place West, Edmonds WA 98026
(425) 778-0371 info@stalbanedmonds.org
StAlbansEdmonds.org

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Stewardship at St. Alban's

Stewardship at St. Alban’s Church

As Christians, we are called to be good stewards of the gifts that God has entrusted to our care. Part of this calling involves putting those gifts to work to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. We can do that through our stewardship and planned gifts to Our church.

While stewardship does indeed involve giving away money, it is more than philanthropy. Just as Christians are called to worship in community, participate in Eucharist, serve the poor and needy in the wider world, and share the Gospel with others, we are called to be good stewards, to thank God by giving back a portion of what God has given to us.

Stewardship teaches that all that we have and all that we are is a gift from God. We are, therefore, stewards of God's gifts during our lifetime. Discerning and carrying out God's purpose is the primary purpose of our lives. The gifts we have been given are to be used for that purpose. The primary role of the church is to guide individuals in development of their vocation as Christian persons, to discern the mission of their lives and the use of their resources in accomplishing it.

Ways to be Grateful, Glad and Giving

At St. Alban’s, there are many ways to be grateful for the many gifts we receive from God, glad for the many blessing in our lives, and giving of our love, our work, our prayer, and our good fortune.

Community Outreach

On the first Sunday of each month we take up a special collection to benefit area food banks, in Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, and north Seattle. On the third Sunday of each month we take up a special collection for outreach, offering support to an organization that benefits the local, global or church community in some way. On the second Sunday of each month, the undesignated (“loose”) offering goes into the rector’s Discretionary Fund.

The Hands-on Committee invites everyone to join them in working directly to benefit the needy in our communities, through volunteer opportunities for direct service in various community organizations.

Annual Stewardship Campaign

In the fall we host our annual stewardship campaign where we ask for pledges of financial support for the upcoming year. This year our campaign will begin with the Bishop’s visit, Sunday, September 25th, when we all celebrate the Eucharist together in one combined service at 9:00 a.m. After coffee he will lead us in a congregational meeting on stewardship.

The month of October will feature many ways to pledge support for St. Alban’s Church and ensure you are grateful, glad and giving. Our fall campaign will conclude on Sunday, November 7th, with an ingathering and blessing of pledges.

As you can see there are many ways to give to the church and through the church to help the church continue to serve the needs of our community and create apostles in Christ. If you would like to serve on the stewardship campaign team or give to the church in another way please contact senior warden Kären Ford or any member of the stewardship committee. You may also contact our church office for more details.


How shall I repay the Lord for all the good things he has done for me?
Psalm 116:10 (Book of Common Prayer)

—Your Stewardship Committee: Kären Ford (Chair), Karen Cresse, Eric Hanson, Susie Nichols, Morrie Tugby.

Saint Alban's Episcopal Church, 21405 82nd Place West, Edmonds, WA 98026 (425) 778-0371 stalbansedmonds.org