ST.LUKE’SEPISCOPALCHURCH,KATONAH
Cornerstone
V O L U M E 5 I S S U E 2
S E P T E MB E R 2 0 1 5
Stewardship
INSIDE THISISSUE:
Stewardship1
WhenfirstaskedtowriteanarticlefortheStewardshipeditionofCornerstone,Iintendedtowriteaboutwhatitmeanstohavedo-
minionuntilIfoundouthow
ablyMikeWatsonhadcov-
Myfantasystewardshipcampaignwouldrunlikeacrowd-funding/crowdsourcingeventrec-ognizingthatweareallinthistogetherandthatwearethechurchanditisourselvesforwhichweareproviding. Weareinthistogether,nowhowarewegoingtomakeourneedsmet?
Ratherthanthinkingaboutapledgeasgiving
FromMike2
Watson
eredthetopic.Usually,itis
theroleoftheclergytotalkaboutthereligious
TheRev.AlonWhite
from“whatIcanafford,”whataboutapproach-ingitfromthisperspective:St.Luke’sisacom-munitywhichIvalue.Ivaluethesupportpro-
Fieldofdreams 3
FromYour4
Editors
AngelsWalk4
AmongUs
4
Grapevine4
James2:175
Warden’sRe-6port
Grapevinecont 6
reasonsandmeaningsofstewardship.Wedoit
often(oratleastannually)andpeoplenodinagreementandthenwecometothatpointofthechurchyear,andfolksbegintotwitch.EvenCharloumentionedtodaythatshefeelsfunnysendingoutpledgecards.Wehadaconversa-tionthatwentlikethis:
Alon:Why?
Charlou:Becauseweareaskingformoney.
Alon:Wouldyoufeelfunnyifyourhairdresseraskedformoney?
Andsoforth.Asourconversationwenton,IfoundmyselftryingtoarticulatewhatIwantedtosayinthisarticle.Heregoes:
Theinstitutionalchurchhasasetwayoftalkingaboutstewardship;howweusethemoney/time/skillswehaveforthechurchandwhatithastosayaboutourrelationshiptoGod.Whatweoftendon’tdowell,istotalkaboutitfromtheperspectiveofbricksandmortar,billsandpayroll,andeventhecostofpaperonwhichtheSundaybulletinsareprinted.Unlikemostnon-profitsandcorporateentities,wefeelfunnytalkingaboutmoneybecauseitisCHURCH.Wewouldalmostfeellessuncomfortabletalkingaboutsex.Noonethinkstwiceaboutbeinghitupbytheiruniversityorclubsorprofessionalswithwhomtheydobusiness.Weshouldnot
feelanydifferently.
videdbylaityandclergyintimesofneed.Ival-uethemusicwehearonSundays.Ivaluetheopportunitytocometogetherforworship.Ivaluetheprograms,teachersandmaterialsusedinChristianeducationforyouthandadults.Ivalueouroutreachprograms.Ievenvaluetheheatandlightwehaveinthewinter.
Ivaluethephonethatgetsanswered,thesup-pliesthatgetordered,thecleaningthathap-pensandthelawnsthataremowed.AlltheseandmorearethingswhichareimportantforSt.Luketooffer,andtherefore,Iwanttodomyparttosupportthem.
St.Luke’shasmanydonorsonwhosegenerosi-tywedepend. Thankyoutoallofyouwhogivesogenerouslyofyourtimeandmoney.
Asyougoforwardtothisnextstageofyourtransition,Iinviteeachofyoutoconsiderwhetheryouarefullysupporting(financially,volunteeringandworshipattendanceandpar-ticipation)thisplaceyouloveoronlyofferingatokenrecognition.St.Luke’shassomuchpo-tential–itisuptoeachofyoutohelpmakethathappen.
Pleasegivegenerouslytothelifeofthiswon-derfulcommunity.
PeaceandBlessings,
Alon+
FromMinistryAssistantMikeWatson
Properstewardshipincludesnotonly“raisingmoney,”aswesometimesenvisioninastewardshipcampaigninourparishlife,italsoincludestakingcareofourselves,ourfamilies,ourspirituality,ourcommunitiesandourenvironment.
MikeWatson
InmedievaltimesinEnglandthestewardwasaservantwhosu-pervisedboththelord'sestateandhishouse-hold,andtheterm“stewardship”cametomeanconscientious
careforwhatisen-trusted.Properstew-
ardshipincludesnotonly“raisingmoney,”aswe
sometimesenvisioninastewardshipcampaigninourparishlife,italsoincludestakingcareofourselves,ourfamilies,ourspirituality,ourcom-munitiesandourenvironment.
IntheGenesiscreationstory,wearetoldthatGod,aftercreatinghumankind,“blessedthem,andGodsaidtothem,‘Befruitfulandmultiply,andfilltheearthandsubdueit;andhavedo-minionoverthefishoftheseaandoverthebirdsoftheairandovereverylivingthingthatmovesupontheearth.’”Wecanreadthispas-sagetomeanthatwehaveGod’sblessingtoactaswewishwithwhatGodhasprovidedtoandforus,orwecanreadthepassagetomeanthatwearetobegoodstewardsofGod’sbounty.Ipreferthelatterreading—itseemstomethatour“dominion”overtheuniverseshouldbeunderstoodmoreproperlyinthesenseofres-ponsiblestewardship.
Popesfromtimetotimepronounce“encyclicals,”whicharewrittenstatementsofdoctrinesentfromthePopetoallofhisclergy.PopeFrancisrecentlypronouncedanencyclicaldetailinghisconcernoverourlackofproperstewardshipofourworld.Thisworld,referredtobythePopeas“oursister,”now“criesoutto
usbecauseoftheharmwehaveinflictedonher
byourirresponsibleuseandabuseofthegoodswithwhichGodhasendowedher.Wehavecometoseeourselvesasherlordsandmasters,entitledtoplunderheratwill…..Thisiswhytheearthherself,bur-denedandlaidwaste,isamongthemostabandonedandmaltreatedofourpoor;
she‘groansintravail’(Rom8:22).Wehaveforgottenthatweourselvesaredustoftheearth(cf.Gen2:7);ourverybodiesaremadeupofherelements,webreatheherairandwereceivelifeandrefreshmentfromherwaters.”
AlthoughIhavenotreadallofthewordsofPopeFrancis’encyclical(itwasover40,000words,)whatIfoundmostpoignantaboutwhatIdidread,washisnotionofan“integralecology,”whichthePopedefinesasaconceptofthecommongoodwhichiscentraltotheprincipleofsocialethics.
Thiscommongoodis“thesumofthoseconditionsofsociallifewhichallowsocialgroupsandtheirindividualmembersrela-tivelythoroughandreadyaccesstotheirownfulfilment.”Underlyingtheprincipleofthecommongoodisrespectforthehu-manpersonassuch,endowedwithbasic
andinalienablerightsorderedtohisorherintegraldevelopment.Ithasalsotodo
withtheoverallwelfareofsociety,recog-nizingtheabsolutenecessityofsocialpeace,andthestabilityandsecuritypro-videdbyacertainorderwhichcannotbeachievedwithoutparticularconcernforjusticedistributedtoallpeople.Ourstew-ardshipofourworld,andourecologicalconscious,thusdefined,includescareforourfellowhumans,inadditiontocarefortheearthitself.
VOLUME 5 ISSUE 2PAGE 3
BuildingaFieldofDreams
In1989thefantasy-dramafilm,“FieldofDreams,”captivatedAmerica.ThiswasthestoryofanIowafarmer–RayKinsella–(playedbyKevinCostner)–whohadatroubledrelationshipwithhisfatherwhohadbeenadevotedbaseballfan.
Whilewalkingthroughhiscornfieldonenight,Rayheardavoicewhispering,“ifyoubuildit,hewill
catchwithhisdeceasedfather–andIowaneighborsturnedouttoseethegamestherebyprovidingsuffi-cientincometooffsetthelossofthecorncrop.
Althoughsomewhosawthefilmdidnotunderstandordidnotlikebaseball,itdidn’tmatter.Thefilmwasnotaboutbaseball;ratherwhatgrippedAmericawasthestoryaboutrelationships–particularlyfa-ther-sonrelationshipsandfaithcollaborationwithoneself,family,andcommunity.
come.”Raycontinuedtohearthevoiceandthensawthevisionofabaseballdiamondinhisfield.
ShoelessJoeJackson*
Stewardshipisalsoaboutrela-tionshipsaswellascommit-
Althoughhiswifewasskepticalanddoubtedthe
familycouldsurvivefinanciallyifitdidnothavea
corncrop,sheandRayagreedforhimtoplowthecornunderinordertobuildabaseballfield.
Timepasseduntilonenightauniformedmanap-pearedonthefield–ShoelessJoeJackson–ade-ceasedbaseballplayeridealizedbyRay’sfather.
ment–tooneself,family,community,andGod.
Throughoutitslonghistoryofbuildingrelationships
andcommitment–inregularSundayworship,reachingouttolocalandfarawaycommunities,andwillinglysharingitstreasurewithGodandothers,St.Luke’shasbuiltastrongandlovingparishfamily.
SowhentheannualStewardshipprogramcommences
Thrilledtobeabletoplaybaseballagain,Joeasked
tobringotherbaseballplayerstothefieldtoplay.SubsequentlyJoereturnedwithotherChicagoWhiteSoxplayerswhohadbeenbarredasaresultofascandal–asufficientnumbertoplayagame.Othergamesfollowed–Rayreunitedandplayed
inthefall,ratherthanthinkingabouthowmuchtreas-ure($)youwillgivetothechurchnextyear,considerwhatyoucandoto“builditsotheywillcome”,therebycontinuingSt.Luke’s“fieldofdreams.”
FredPiker
*JoeJackson’sphotoCourtesyofthe CharlesConlonColln.
FromYourEditors
WesaygoodbyetolongtermCornerstoneco–editorPatSkinger,whoisleavingusforpasturesnewontheCape.PathasbeenworkingwithussinceourfirstissueandwastheonewhosuggestedthatwenamethepublicationCornerstone.Pat,weshallmissyou.
Andwewelcome,withgratitude,CharlouRyan,whohasgraciouslyagreedtoproofreadthispublication.Shesaysshelikestoproofreadandwearehappytohavehersupport.
Manythanks.
BettyandMaureen
PAGE 4
Angelswalkamongus
herfather’sembrace.
ForallthosethatdidnothaveoccasiontobeinchurchonSun-day,August2,2015,therewasayoungfamilythatcameforavisit,withtwochildren,onewalkingfreeandoneinawheel-chair.
Whenitcametimeforcommun-ion,thewholefamilyproceeds
tothealtarwithus.Uponreceiv-ingcommunion,theyounggirlwhocameinthewheelchair,walksbackupthenavewithin
tobewithusinthenaveofSaintLuke’schurch.
Intheparishhouse,wediscoverthateachofusare
movedbytheexperienceattheservice.
Thatmorningatthatservice,wereceiveaspecialgiftlikechildrenandaresentouttosharethatblessing,maybenotthroughanyspokenwordordeedinthefollowingweekbutintheknowingthatbetweenthebadnewsinthepapersandthebombastofbroadcastnews,ourFatherisinheavenandweareallHischil-dren.
AsAlonsays,ourfaithisnotaboutourfacilities–alt-houghthebuildingsandgroundshaveneverlookedbetter.Wearestewardsofthefaithforourgenera-tion,inourvocationasparents,sons,daughters,stu-
Eachstepfollowsanotherstepinanassuredandquiet
cadence.Thechild’scountenancemovestoandfroeach
sideofthechurchlikeapapalnod.Unbeknownsttothecongregationasawhole,eachofusistouchedbyherwalk.Thechild’sfaceexpressesamomentofcalmjoy:Iamwalking,myfatherisholdingme–allisrightwiththeworld.Coincidentally,eachpresentmemberofourcon-
gregationhasoccasiontospendamomentwiththeyoungfamilypriortotheirdeparture.Themomentbecomes
holy.It’sasifallthoseangelsontheheadofapindisperse
dents,employees,membersofSaintLuke’sandinanyroleforwhichwefindourselvestrusted.
Oneofthemostimportantthingsthatwedoasmem-bersofSaintLuke’s,istoshowup,takeupresidence
inapewandworshiptogether.Ourpresenceisourpresenttotheeachother.Wecreatecommunity,aplaceforangelstowalkamongus.
Godblessyouandkeepyou.
BobBecker
Grapevine
CorinneandThelma
Impossibletocontemplate,butThelmaGreenanddaughterCorinneplantotakeofffortheWestcoasttovisitCorinne’ssonandgrandchildandtofindade-quatehousingnearby.Ifsotheywouldmakeaper-manentmove!St.Luke’swithoutThelmathereeve-rySunday,holidayandchurcheventforthelast55years?Itmightcollapse!
ThankstoBernieRobertsandEdBiddleforagreeingtoco-leadourStewardshipCampaign.
BlessingsonKateParkerandJimWalshforagreeingtoteachSundayschool!
PAGE 5
“Sofaithbyitself,ifithasnoworks,isdead.”
James2:17
ThislinefromTheEpistleofJamessumsupwhySt.Luke’s,withitsstrongOutreachandMissionspirit,isthefaithcommunity
whichkeepsnourish-ingmeandsendingmeforth,forthe
pastthreedecades.
ParishionersatStLuke’ssimplylightupwhentheylearn
ofanopportunitytohelp,oraneedtobeaddressed.Weloveanduplifteachother,anditfollowsthatwewanttosharethatlovewithothers.Thisspecialquality,whichIthinkofasagape,keepsregeneratingitself,asnewcomersarriveandfamiliarfacesmoveon.
OurOutreachhasforthepastdecadesupportedschool-ingfor25AIDSorphans,orCarpenter’sKids,inTanzania,bypayingforbooks,shoesandclothes,breakfastsandschoolsupplies. Wealsolookafterlow-incomelocalschoolchildrenthroughtheCommunityCenter“BacktoSchool”Drive.WesupportA-HOMEaffordablehousinginthearea,andtheChildren’sCenter,nowknownasHourChildren,atBedfordHillsCorrectionalFacility.WealsomakedonationstoEpiscopalCharitiesandTheBish-op’sFundforSpecialNeeds.
Weputmusclepowerintoouroutreachwithactsofmission,too.Thisyear,forexample,wehostedourfirstJanuaryconcerttoraiseawarenessandfundingforthelocalEmergencyShelterPartnership.Itwasonlypossi-blethroughanamazingoutpouringofhelpfromourparishandbeyond.JimSkinger,ourbelovedclassicalguitaristandcooljazzman,gatheredseven“hot”musi-cianpals,includingTheRev.RobLambornontrombone,toperformontheONLYSundayafternoonwithoutsnowstorms!Parishionersofferedtoorganizepublicity,soundsystem,boxoffice,reception,refreshments,hos-
pitality…Everypewwasfilledtooverflowing,wegottoknowourinterfaithcommunitypartners,andweraised$1300fortheESP.
WehostedtheA-HOMECoalitionMeetingatourpar-ishhouseinFebruary,spearheadedbytheindefatiga-bleLeslieMoss.MaureenHattaschgaveamoving
talkinchurchatourMinuteforMinistryonOutreachSundayabouttheprison’sHourChildrenProgram.Shebroughttheexperienceoffamiliesaffectedby
incarcerationvividlyhometous:“theHOURofmom’sarrest,theHOURofkids’visit,theHOURofmom’srelease…”
AtMikeWatson’s3rdAnnualCommunityBarbequein
Maywemet(andsumptuouslyfed)newcomerstothecommunity,oldfriends,fellowoutreachersfromotherchurches,andpassers-by.Wealsogatheredafewhundreddollarsinadonationbasketforthesum-merchildren‘sprogramsatA-HOMEandatthepris-on.
CommunityBarbecue
Wehavemuchtolearnfromourinterfaithandcom-munitypartnersinoutreachandmission.BearinginmindwhattheUK’sChiefRabbiJonathonSacksre-mindsusof,fromDeuteronomy23:“Letgoofhateoryouwillnotbefree,”IbelievewearejustbeginningtotapthenextwaveofpotentialforOutreachandMis-sioninourlovingcommunity!
SusanWalton
Warden’sReport
Recently,Iwasataluncheonmeetingatthelocaldiner.Whenitcametimetoorder,Inoticedthatalmosteveryonewasorderinghealthyalternativestotypicaldinerfare.Theseindividualswerecaringfortheirbodiesinadeliberateandthoughtfulway,recognizingthatdisciplineisimportanttomaintain-ingthewell-beingoftheircorporealbodies.
Weallmakethesechoiceseverydayincaringforour-selves,ourlovedones,ourlivelihoods,andourhomes.Itistherecognitionofourblessingsandourownper-sonalresponsibilitytonurtureandprotectthatwhichweloveandaredependenton.
StLuke’sisonesuchblessingbestoweduponusbyGod.
Werealizetheholinessthatdwellswithinourchurchandwithinourselves.Justaswemustbeintentionalinensu-ring,tothebestofourabilities,thehealthofourselvesandourfamily,sotooarewecalledupontobeintentio-nalincaringforourchurch.Ourparishfamilyneedsto
benurturedthroughourcommunityworship,outreach,andthelovewegivefreelytoothersjustaswearelovedbyGod.
TherearemanyopportunitiestonourishourchurchhomeinthecomingmonthsthroughactivitiessuchastheTagSale,SundaySchool,AdultEd,theFallCleanup,lookingoutformembersofourcongregationandcom-munitywhomightneedassistance,andyes,lookingoutforthefiscalhealthofourmuchbelovedparish.SopleasebethoughtfulandintentionalasweenterthisseasonofStewardship,foryourselves,yourfamily,yourfriends,andyourchurch.
MargieHerman
Grapevine,cont.
Kitchenreno.inprogress
Weoohedandaahedoverthechangesinthedownstairsbathroomandkitchen,andthankMarkSchmidandhismenforthelaborandMaryZipkinforthecreativepart,justasimportant.Howniceitlookedandhowproudwe’llbe.
Afondfarewellissoontobeinthe
WelookforwardtotheTagsaleorchestratedbyMaryZipkinOct.16/17andhopethere’slotsofterrificdona-tionssothiswillbethebiggestandbestandmostlucra-tive.
InJuly,MotherAlonblessedmynewhouse,nowthatImovedtoKatonah.ItwasabeautifulceremonyandmyfamilyandIareverygrate-ful.DoIdetectanodorof
offingasPatandJimSkingerheadofftoanewhomeinYarmouth,CapeCod.WewillmissyouandwishyouGodspeed.
ThevestrywillsoonbemeetingthethreecandidateschosenbyourSearchCommittee:thanksforallthemembersandtheworktheydidonourbehalf.They
Mo.AlonblessesBetty’skitchen
sanctity?
Moregoodthingswillbehappeningcomefall,butasadonetoo.WewillmissMotherAlonwithhergoodnature,hardwork,terrific
cameupwiththebestofthreeoutofmany.Wetriedtowormoutofthemtheirfavoritebuttheyarenotsaying.It’sexcitingtocontemplate.
sermons,newideas,goingbeyondherallottedhours.
LuckyaretheparishionersofSt.Paul’s,Riverside
(GreenwichCT.).
BettyWald