Here I Am

A Commitment to our Common Life in 2025

Moses says “Here I am” when God calls to him from the flaming thornbush. Young Samuel says “Here I am” when God calls to him in the night. Many other prophets respond this way to God, or to God’s messengers, the Angels. Mary of Nazareth joins this tradition when it’s her turn to respond to the Angel Gabriel, who bears glad tidings, but also terrifying news. Your whole life will change, Gabriel seems to be saying to Mary. (“A sword will pierce your soul,” Simeon tells her a bit later on.) Mary’s reply to Gabriel, in the face of all that daunts her, is this ancient statement of faith: “Here I am.”

2025 will be our 133rd year in this neighborhood. We will stand at our corner of Uptown with renovated, newly-accessible buildings, and we will say our prayers beneath a new roof. Our mission base will stick out: even now, several of our neighbors are curious about all that’s going on, and they will only be more intrigued in the coming months. Our renewed physical presence on this block is a quiet yet vivid way for all of us to say to this neighborhood, and to God, “Here we are.”

Your pledge ensures that we can deepen our presence here, and continue to cultivate this corner of God’s garden. Our mission in 2025 will need pledges totaling $580,000, now that the post-pandemic grants and employee-retention credits are behind us. This means we need to raise the average pledge by 21%. We need this support to keep music at the center of our spiritual identity and life; to faithfully care for our newly-accessible children’s classrooms, parish hall, and office building; to support our pastoral and administrative leadership, and to do our part as a member of this diocese under the leadership of our new bishop.

Pray, breathe, and listen carefully as you contemplate your part in our mission. When you submit your pledge, you are not complying with a rule or following a stern directive; you are turning aside to contemplate the thornbush that burns but is not consumed. You are stirring in the night to listen to God’s voice. You are turning from chores in your hut to blink at the brightness of God’s messenger, here to announce something astonishing to you. When you respond to God calling out to you by name, I pray that your “Here I am” response comes from the dizzying heights of your strong spirit, and the fathomless depths of your heart.

Click here to read Father Stephen’s stewardship letter in full.

Make a Financial Pledge Here

Throughout October, short Stewardship Talks are being given at 10:30am Mass. We encourage you to take a moment to watch the clips below as a testimony to how your pledge will impact our community at St. Paul’s.