Our Stewardship program this year will focus on the Saints (and saints – us) of God.  It is an extension of last year when we focused on “through the red door”.  Remember that red doors are traditionally a sign of sanctuary for anyone who passes through.  As we come into church, we come to be refreshed and refilled with God’s love.  As we leave through the red door we go to do God’s work – to be one of God’s saints.

Each fall during the Stewardship program, we are reminded that stewardship is more than putting a check in the plate on Sunday.  Although the checks are also very important so we can pay salaries, purchase heating oil, and do all the other things that keep our doors open, the reason we need to be open is to welcome all.  This year Susan will be using a “month of Saints” to remind us of ways that we can be good stewards.  We will again collect Thanksgiving dinners for the Fall Mountain Food Shelf and Our Place (see schedule for the list of what to bring each Sunday) – we will attempt to do something for our neighbors who need help.  And, we will do some long-term planning for St. John’s, which is where the MMR comes in.

When we were searching for a new Rector (2002-2004), one of the steps was to send questionnaires to everyone at St. John’s to gather input on where we thought we were and what we wanted to do as a church.  From that the Vestry and Search Committee developed three goals:

1.  “Invite/Involve New Members:  We want St. John’s to grow and we would like to add 10 new families or individuals.”  Our parish is growing, we have more than 10 new families/members, and there is always room for more.

2.  “Outreach to the wider community to make Christ known”  We have Art after School, we expanded our support of food pantries, we give to ChIPs (Children of Incarcerated Parents) each year, we are more involved in the Christmas giving tree, we knit for the Seafarers, etc.

3.  “Fellowship and Pastoral Care”   Our fellowship and support of each other have always been important to us, and we welcome new folks into our midst.  We now have a Prayer Shawl/Quilt ministry for those who need support and to celebrate at special times.

It is time to develop new goals and the Mutual Ministry Review (MMR) is the way to do that.  The MMR process is facilitated by The Rev. Tim Rich, Canon to the Ordinary.  Tim met with the Vestry in June to plan our review, and the Vestry has done our homework.  Starting September 20^th when we kick-off the Stewardship program and MMR (as well as Church School and Choir rehearsals), we will invite about 24 adults to meet one-on-one with a member of the Vestry to answer questions and tell us your dreams for  St. John’s.  If you are not called for an interview but would like to share your thoughts, the questions will be on the website.  On October 10^th Tim will lead a Vestry retreat that will develop new long-term goals for St. John’s using the results of the interviews.  Last year we had WOW! Cards (What should we do that would make Jesus say WOW!?) and this year the MMR is the way we will gather your ideas.

Pledge Sunday will be November 1^st, All Saints’ Day, which is a Sunday this year—what an appropriate way to celebrate our stewardship!.  Tim Rich will be with us to celebrate what St. John’s is now, what we hope to be in the future, and the conclusion of our Stewardship program.  Please plan to join us after the service for a light meal.

Stewardship Program 2008:  In the pictures The Rev. Charles LaFond, Canon for Congregational Life, was guest celebrant.  In the sermon he explained that just as a potter molds the clay to make a bowl, God forms us to his purposes.  The service was followed by lunch and fellowship, and then Charles guided the development of FunFest, based on one of the ideas from the WOW! cards (What should we do that would make Jesus say "WOW!"?).