Weekly Update | November 3, 2024
The Apostle Peter preached, “As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10-11. Being well resourced allows us to be good stewards of what God has entrusted, and to further his work ensuring that our generosity supports the spread of the Gospel presently and in the future.
Today, we are asking you to employ your own gift for our stewardship campaign this year. As stewardship is an act of loving, caring and giving, your generous contribution is essential to support some of the things we love most at St. John’s. Among them is our cathedral arts program which brings much joy in the form of the sung liturgy by our gifted choir on Sundays, reflective compline, holiday concerts, and special musical events. Our thriving food pantry ministry expresses our love and care for our neighbors. And, as we look towards the future of St. John’s and do God’s work to teach children about Jesus, Christianity and the church, we are dependent on your resources to fund this, our additional nineteen ministries, and others that will certainly surface as we are graced with a growing church family.
Christ’s light has shone, and his love has spread throughout this venerated cathedral for one-hundred years. We are blessed to worship in this sanctuary of unparalleled beauty. The colorful ceiling fresco, the altar art, especially the divine triptych of Jesus; gold-tiled Lady chapel, stunning stained-glass windows, and stately columns all capture the spirit of God as it flows freely in this sacred space and through each one of us and makes our worship experience truly special. We have, in St. John’s Cathedral inherited a hollowed legacy that demands diligent stewarding by its members and leaders.
We must acknowledge that we are standing on the shoulders of people that came before us– members and friends, lay leaders and clergy, and as importantly, donors. Now it is up to us. We are the ones who must be actively engaged in the future of St. John’s and discern where God is leading us and live into what God is calling us to do. To this end, your vestry is presently engaged in the process of identifying mission, vision, and value statements that will be relevant today and take us into the next century as the mother church of the diocese of Los Angeles. You will have an opportunity to participate in this collective effort by reviewing these and providing input before they are finalized.
We thank you in advance for your gift and close with this brief and heartfelt prayer of undeniable truth, “All things come from thee oh Lord, and of thine own have we given thee.” 1 Chronicles 29:14
Yours in Christ,
The Very Reverend Anne Sawyer
Interim Dean and Priest-in-Charge
Canon Lurelean Gaines
Senior Warden
