“Chosen and appointed by God
to go and bear fruit.” John 15:16
STEWARDSHIP CORNER
Dear St. Catherine Parishioners, October 14, 2012
Our theme for the 2012-2013 Ecclesiastical Year, “Chosen and Appointed by God to go and bear fruit”, is also the theme for our 2013 Stewardship Program for the Archdiocese and Saint Catherine Parish.
Dr. Bill White and his Stewardship Committee have planned an exciting new campaign for the year, beginning on October 14th and concluding on November 18th. The Church is often depicted as an Ark, or a Ship or Vessel with Jesus at the helm and the Saints as His crew. Our thematic icon portrays our Lord and His Church sailing the seas of life. The goal is the Port of Paradise – Union with God. But please note that as the Vessel is sailing towards that Port, through rough and calm seas, God is not only the Goal but also with them – in our Lord Jesus Christ – at every moment. The way then to the Port in Paradise is to recognize and live daily with our Lord Jesus Christ at our helm. Our Lord, through His Disciples, has chosen and appointed us to be a part of this Journey and to “go and bear fruit” daily in our relationship with Him and one another. May our Stewardship commitment of time, talent and treasures bear the fruits of the Spirit outlined in Galatians 5:22, of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
The 2013 Stewardship Campaign will unfold in a progressive manner that will encourage us as a parish to make personal connections within our geographic neighborhoods and also to pray for one another as neighbors, as we are all, so to speak, “in the same boat.”
The Committee has constructed 33 vessels (one for each of our Lord’s years on this earth), and a captain has been assigned to steward each of these Vessels though one of the 33 neighborhoods of our Parish. Each Vessel contains 10-14 Stewardship Packets for stewards or families in each neighborhood.
We will begin the voyage, or the “setting forth” with a blessing of the Vessels and their Captains on Sunday October 14, following Divine Liturgy. The captain then will set sail in his/her neighborhood by first prayerfully pledging of his/her time, talents and treasures, placing their completed packet in the Vessel and then sailing it to the next family listed in the neighborhood.
Each family will have 2 or 3 days to consider and complete their pledge and then deliver it in person to the next family. The process will continue for some four weeks within each neighborhood sailing from family to family.
The captain will then secure the vessel and all 33 Captains will then bring their Vessel to Port at the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, November 18 with a prayer of celebration and Thanksgiving.
We are grateful to the Stewardship Committee, the Area Captains, Neighborhood Captains and our staff for their commitment and faithful work in this campaign. Please do your best to join them in a faithful Stewardship commitment of time, talents and treasures again in 2013, to our Lord and His Parish of Saint Catherine.
With our Lord’s blessings,
Rev. Louis J. Christopulos Dr. Bill White Mr. George Soulis
Protopresbyter Stewardship Committee Chair Parish Council President
