By Father Casey
Transfiguration is special. I have never known a church that is loved quite so dearly by its members. We are proud of our inclusive witness. We are passionate about our mission. We really care for one another and try our best to love like Jesus. Our hearts are deeply with Transfiguration.
Jesus, our great spiritual cardiologist, teaches that if you want to know where a person’s heart really is, see what they do with their money (Matthew 6:19-21). Which begs us to consider if our feelings about Transfiguration are matched by our giving to Transfiguration. That’s a question each of us must decide for ourselves: if someone looked at my bank statement, would it reveal that my heart is with the work of God at the Fig?
This weekend we’ll kick off a four-week fundraising campaign, tied to the theme of “Where Our Heart Is.” I’m sharing this with you upfront, trusting you to still come to church! I promise you the services won’t feel like an extended shakedown, because the question of how our lives reveal the contents of our hearts is not only about what we do with our money. It touches on our integrity as Christians, and how we witness to our faith in every aspect of our lives. Mtr. Rebecca, Fr. Ted, Pastor Nancy, and I are working hard on sermons that we hope will inspire reflection on how to show God and the world where our heart is.
This weekend, you can help us get the campaign off to a good start in four ways:
- Come to church. Don’t use stewardship season as an excuse to stay away. Show us your heart is with us by showing up.
- Pick up your pledge packet in person. This saves us hundreds of dollars in postage, and it allows the volunteers leading our campaign to thank you for being a part of our church.
- Read the materials. We spent a lot of time designing them, and your letter is personalized. Please take time to read it.
- Take a couple of Small Bites (if you haven’t already). Giving your energy and time is another important way to show where your heart is.
The bottom line is that our church is at a defining moment. Every one of our 50+ ministries is back after the pandemic, and every single day of the week our campus is busy with the work of seeking and serving Christ in all persons. But we’re struggling to sustain it all. Expenses have risen over 10% in the last few years, even as pledging has remained flat. We’ve been able to cover the gap by tapping restricted accounts, but that is not sustainable. Simply put, we will need more support to maintain our staff and ministries.
But every time I feel worry bubbling up within, I remember all of you – all the hundreds and hundreds of hearts who are with us at Transfiguration. We are proud of our inclusive witness. We are passionate about our mission. Which is why I know that we’ll have everything we need to carry on being the church we love and for the sake of the One whose heart beats in us, Jesus Christ our Savior.
Father Casey +