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Rector's
Messages
Of
Stewardship and keeping our house in order for the future.
The
theme of my thanksgiving
letter is "scarcity and abundance". These days
Anglicans in our part of the world find themselves with an abundance
of church buildings. Many of our buildings, their size and construction,
are built for the needs of a previous era. This situation presents the
church as a whole with a number of stewardship challenges that have both
financial and moral components. However, it is not a question of simply
moving from too many buildings to no buildings. The buildings at St. James
require some age related refitting. However, St. James' buildings are in
an excellent location and are of comparatively recent construction. They
have been well maintained over the years. While it is true that services
may be held in just about any location, the sacred space offered by our
churches provides us with a rich environment for prayer, reflection and
community praise. The environment provided by churches is to a large
degree unique. In some cases, the church is sought after as a location for
cultural events. The loss of churches from our communities would be as
unfortunate as the loss of museums, parks, libraries or concert halls.
Church hall houses activities and programs for both the congregation and
the wider community. They are a resource for building up the congregation.
They are used for both fellowship and outreach. In this respect, there is
no essential distinction between sacred and secular. Like any resource,
the church buildings require good Christian stewardship to maintain and
operate.
Our
buildings at St. James are matched by the abundance of our endowment
funds. Our endowment funds exist at their current level for two reasons
(1) the generosity of folks in the past who remembered St. James in their
estate planning (2) the gift of time and expertise on the part of
successive generations of parishioners in the management of these funds.
The parish endowment funds generate income, both interest and dividends,
which are an important part of our annual parish revenue every year. The
Parish is required by law to use income only from much of our endowment
funds. The best management practice for the long haul is to treat all of
the endowment funds this way. The more successful we are with the Capital
Campaign the more success we will have preventing a draw off our endowment
funds with a consequent loss of revenue in the years ahead. The church is
home to weddings, funerals, major Church services, regular parish services
throughout the church year, times of quiet prayer and reflection. The hall
houses the parish meetings, church groups, Sunday school, scouting
programs and small community groups in available space. It is a source of
rental income. Our buildings serve the needs of the people who gather
within them. The Wardens, and the chairs of both the Finance Committee and
the Stewardship Committee, join me in encouraging members of St. James to
support, according to their means, our Capital Campaign. The Campaign will
ensure we have facilities for ministry into the future.
The
Rev. Canon Rod Gillis
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