Stewardship Reflections 2009
Brian Glenney
Good morning. My name is Brian Glenney, and I teach at Hanover High. My little boy Noah and I attend 10:00 services, when his screeching and squealing are less ... obtrusive. I'd like a couple minutes of your time, if I may, to tell you why I'm here and why I support St. Thomas.
I was raised by Fundamentalist parents to believe — unquestioningly — Fundamentalist beliefs, but from as early as I remember I had become a real pain in the neck — full of questions that their literal interpretations and black-and-white positions could not (and would not) accommodate or address. So, I stopped bringing my questions to them and began searching for answers elsewhere.
I've been an Episcopalian for 24 of my 36 years, and I've often wondered why. But over the past 4 years or so, I've needed to think very carefully about my reasons. Many of you know what I'm talking about: if I'm going to raise my little Noah to be a Christian in the Episcopal Church, I better have good reasons. I better believe it's worth all his screeching and squealing — during such quiet, contemplative moments in the service as the Prayers of the People.
And so, I was invited here this morning to share with you my reasons:
- why I'm here?
- why I'm here with my boy?
- why I want this place, this community, to be here for us?
I don't know how else to say it. I'm here because there's nowhere else for me.
Caught between my doubts and my convictions and pursuing them with equal vigor and longing, I have found a place, a people, that — like me and unlike me — embraces and celebrates our ancient traditions of community along with our modern liberations. We worship a loving God by raising medieval chants to the ceiling of this chamber of stone, beam, and candlelight. We worship a healing God by welcoming everyone — absolutely everyone — at the Lord's Table, in the pews beside us, and in our very hearts.
The Good Book tells us that, wherever our treasure is, there will our heart be also. I can't read that verse without its mirror image: wherever my heart is, there will my treasure be also.
My brothers and sisters, I'm here because I find here what I can't find anywhere else. I'm here with my boy because I want him to learn about living with questions and beliefs, to grow up in a community where he can doubt established doctrine, listen to the opinions of others, make up his own mind, and (if possible) still believe in wonders that lie beyond rational thought and human measurement.
This church provides that environment. I pledge because I need this place, this community, to be here for me, for us.
I thank you for listening.
Carmen Springer '07
For those of you who don't know me, I was baptized and confirmed at St. Thomas in the spring of 2005 and was involved at St. Thomas and at the Edge as a vestry member and student leader through September of 2007, following my graduation from Dartmouth. Despite not officially having residency in Hanover since then, I have been back to visit regularly, and still consider St. Thomas my spiritual home. I currently live in South Africa, and am serving as a Peace Corps volunteer.
Going into the Peace Corps, as uncertain as so many things are, the one thing you do know is what your financial state will be when you get back. As tempting as it is to throw the word 'dismal' out there, in reality, returning volunteers are given a small sum of money to get their life back in order following their service. For those trivia buffs out there, it is the same dollar amount given since 1961 when the Peace Corps was founded, as someone made a mistake in leaving out an appreciation clause in the congressional bill. Be that as it may, I have the advantage of knowing exactly what I will earn over my two and a half year service, a financial certainty not many have.
As the path of my life has taken me from college student, to graduate student, and now to Peace Corps volunteer, I have become accustom to keeping a tight budget, eating Food Drop produce, and dreading that sinking feeling when getting an unexpected bill. Especially with the rising costs of everything these days, money becomes a central topic, and a central thought with a lot of us.
Of all the things my time at St. Thomas and the Edge taught me, the most poignant to me is to critically examine my life. This is not just to ensure I am living a spiritual life, but also how my choices and actions can be used either as a tool of oppression or a tool of liberation. Because of this education, I have moved forward, attempting to live a life in Christ. With this attempt come questions about why money was such a central topic and thought.
I decided to tithe, for the two and a half years I will be gone, ten percent of that Readjustment Allowance I mentioned earlier. Knowing that the rest of the money would not quite be enough to cover the interest on my unsubsidized student loans, it took me a long time to come to this decision. But, in the end, I found peace with it.
The initial reactions I had were things like "You're going to be a volunteer, isn't that enough?" and "What good would that pitiful amount of money do them anyhow?" As a former vestry member, knowing the average annual operating budget, I have to admit, compared to my bank account; it certainly would do more for one then the other.
But then I stopped. I remembered those important things that St, Thomas had taught me, and thought about what it was really about. Were the initial excuses that came to my mind truly helping me live a life examined, a life in Christ, or were they just excuses? Trying to dismiss these temptations, I thought and prayed on it more. What I eventually came to was, "what should I be thinking about instead of what I am quote-unquote giving up?" What would keeping that extra bit of money allow me to take for granted? I took up something similar to my Lenten practices of praying and looking for guidance whenever I thought I was missing the money, or when I was becoming stressed over my finances. After a short while, I found I almost never thought about it, but when I did, what came to mind were things that I was blessed to have, rather then bemoaning what I didn't. It gave me the chance to reflect on the roll money plays in my life and to make sure that the choices I make are focused on lifting up the people effected by my choices. This is especially true in my life now, living in a village in a country with 35 to 50 percent unemployment, my pledge was more then an average family will make in a year.
St. Thomas is a place I entrusted with my spiritual development. It led me to the call to my baptism and gave me a place that, to this day, I call home. Despite ups and downs, and difficult changes both in my life and that of the congregation, at the end of the day, it is an institution in which I believe, and that is something I wish to show with my actions, with whatever it is that I have to give. My contribution won't keep the lights on, and it won't heat the sanctuary this winter. In all likelihood, it will still make a much bigger difference to me then to anyone else. And, isn't that the point?
Doris J. Zappala
I was not a cradle Episcopalian. I grew up in the Bronx and my family attended the Salvation Army, Scandinavian Division, where Swedish was spoken except for Sunday school. My mother was my first Sunday school teacher and my family was very active there. My family's spiritual life was shown in the way they lived.
For nursing I went to St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, in N. Y. As "Probies" we were required to sing Evensong five days a week for the first six months. That was my introduction to the Episcopal Church and the Liturgy. We were also involved in a number of services at The Cathedral of St. John the Divine and it is there where our graduations were held.
I started attending St. Ignatius Episcopal Church and was baptized there. Since I was the only confirmand from St. Ignatius I was confirmed at The Cathedral with those from other churches.
Not wanting to stay in N. Y. I came to work at Mary Hitchcock as a nurse in 1954 and when I wasn't working on Sundays I attended St. Thomas Church. I met Sam in 1955, we were married July 1956 at St. Martha's Episcopal Church in the Bronx.
The first Sunday after I was married when I came to church, there was a woman at the door ahead of me, she turned to me and said, "Who are you?" I said, "Doris Zappala." She went on to say, "The Zappala's go to St. Dennis Catholic Church." I told her that I was an Episcopalian. I was quite shy and felt intimidated as the office area had her last name.
I kept coming as it had been decided that if Sam and I had any children they would be raised as Episcopalians. I didn't drive so going to another Episcopal church was not an option. Later on we had four children who were baptized and confirmed here.
St. Thomas is the place I find support for my spiritual life and life in general. Through the years I have been involved at St. Thomas as an assistant Sunday school teacher, Acolyte scheduler, being on the Outreach Committee and Nominating committee. When I retired from the Hitchcock Clinic in 1990 I attended the Confirmation class and reaffirmed my confirmation and was able to be more active. I have been blessed being part of the Ministries of Pastoral Care, Healing Prayer, and as Coordinator of the Prayer Chain. Also EFM. I was on the search committee. I even enjoy folding the bulletins on Friday mornings.
I felt very much supported by the St. Thomas community during Sam's illness and death. The family and I were comforted that Guy was able to take part in Sam's funeral and burial service. My granddaughter Grace was baptized at St. Thomas at the Easter Vigil. I asked my son Chris, "why here" and he said, "It's where I was baptized."
I found the best way get to know other parishioners here is to be involved in small groups in the areas that interest one most. As a church we all need to be involved in ways we are most comfortable. Without our financial support also St. Thomas Church would not be possible. Stewardship and commitment is vital to the growth of our church and each member's lives.
It is 53 years since I met the woman at the door, I am blessed that I have been able to be a part of St. Thomas Church all these years.