Homecoming :
Stories of Living in God's Way
Jack Wolmendorf- Stewardship as Living in God’s Way
Last Sunday was All-Saints Sunday. As Presbyterians, we can all consider ourselvessaints. In respect to my age, it could be Old Saints Sunday.
I joined the church, I believe, when I was 29. Now I am 69, so though I don’t feel old, I was a member before many of you (perhaps most of you) were born.
My father was a Presbyterian minister, so I’ve always attended a church. I felt it was my duty. (I was also a first-born.) Indeed, in some of my middle years in this congregation, I came more of a sense of duty than desire. I felt in those middle years that when my parents had both “gone to glory” I would rethink my faithful attendance.
But before those events happened, I realized that I came partly because the congregation was “family”, as well as for the services and preaching. I used to say that I drove past eight Presbyterian churches to get here, which wasn’t literally true, but they were closer to my house than Pilgrims. Some of you pass even more, or at least they are closer, as well.
I’ve never had a “road to Damascus” experience, though I’ve been to Damascus, Syria, from all four directions. I’ve been on various Pilgrim routes: Rome, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Varanasi (on the Ganges River), Lasha, Tibet, Santiago de Campostela in Spain, and Fatima in Portugal.
I feel sorry for those whose church’s name is 2nd – 4th Presbyterian, (though 5th AVENUE Presbyterian has a nice ring to it.) Did you know we were once 2nd Presbyterian? So many Presbyterians all over the U.S. know this church by reputation or by name, even if they haven’t visited it.
In short, I would stay here now even if the services and preaching weren’t as great. Though I was on the Pilgrimage board in its early years, have fed the homeless from the back porch of our church and from a van which made downtown rounds 20-30 years ago, have slept in shelters here and in many Georgetown churches, worked with Elizabeth House, (our home for pregnant unwed Hispanic women), and was on the Mission Council for decades, the activities here that I most look forward to now are Sunday School and our covenant group (plus church services, of course).
Six to eight Pilgrims meet in a covenant group, one of several. Ours was convened for the first time in May by Stan Lou. We meet monthly, on a Sunday night, at one of our homes, and share a meal. I went to the first meeting because I respect Stan so much and wanted the group to succeed. But I loved our conversations, and the purpose of the meetings, which can be about anything, but always have a spiritual side too, which is a major part of the meetings.
As one advances in years it would be well to remember the church in one’s will, as we did, years ago. We’ve changed our will several times since writing it, but always include the church.
We’re all used to being asked for money, particularly by non-profits. Our church is certainly non-profit (but maybe prophetic instead). It may be only a coincidence that stewardship season comes so far after income tax season and so far from the next one.
Jesus famously said “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God …” (but this was before churches existed, of course).
We’ve also just finished a political season in which most all of us are sure that the country would figuratively go to hell if our candidates didn’t win. (We District residents don’t have as many candidates as those of you who live in MD or VA, but that’s another story.) The requests for money, almost always from the political party of our candidates, come fairly steadily, for a year or more. Stewardship season is shorter, and the results of it are more visible. We here have a great church staff, a warm, welcoming building, and we run programs we support, though these programs may change over the years. But my point is, like in a political campaign in which the ads aren’t needed to persuade you, as many if not most have long ago made up their minds for whom to vote, stewardship season isn’t needed to convince us old-timers, but to tell newer members, for instance, and even non-members, as some contribute regularly, or occasionally, what the Church of the Pilgrims can do with your contributions.
Ann and I give appreciated stock to the church each year, our way of avoiding taxes on what we’d pay if we simply sold it. We give this stock to our major loves: the church and our colleges. We give to them all for essentially the same reason – they gave so much to us, but the church over a much longer period of time, of course. Even though Ann doesn’t attend now, she really feels this, too. The colleges ask for funds more often, the church only annually.
So think about it, pray about it, talk with your spouse or partner about it, and let’s all turn in our pledges next week.
