Consecration Sunday is October 11, 2020: Make Your Move!

Bishop Smith Joins us for Consecration Sunday Bishop Tim Smith goes back a long way at St. John’s. He grew up in this congregation, was confirmed here, and was supported throughout seminary by members of St. John’s. “There are people in this congregation who knew I’d be a pastor long before I did,” he once said. Smith served calls in Startown, Boone, and Atlanta, before being elected bishop of the NC Synod in 2015. He joins us on Consecration Sunday to reflect on his time at St. John’s and make his case for why giving to the local church is more important now than ever before. Welcome, Bishop Smith!

By Michael DeNise
Consecration Sunday Chair

I hope you have marked your calendars for Sunday, October 11 – what we call “Consecration Sunday” at St. John’s, the day we offer our financial pledges to support of the mission and ministry of the church. Let October 11 be the day you “make your move.”

There are many ways to make your move. The biblical practice of giving refers to the tithe, which invites us to return to God one tenth of our earnings. The practice challenges us to trust in God more than earthly things. It also reminds us that all good things come from God, and when we return to the Lord a portion of what has been given to us, our community is impacted in dramatic ways.

Maybe this year “making your move” means taking a step up in your level of giving. The chart below provides a good look at our congregation’s giving patterns. Find your current level of giving and prayerfully consider whether God is inviting you to take the next step.

Perhaps you’ve already enjoyed the practice of tithing. We hope you will consider doing so again, or maybe even going beyond a tithe. Again, what matters is that we invite God to join us in this decision-making process. As you do, thank you!

Consecration Sunday will look different than it has in years past. Because of Covid restrictions, we won’t have a community meal following worship or join together in offering our pledges at the altar. But we still will have the chance to respond to what God is calling each of us to do through stewardship, and an opportunity to grow our giving in response to God’s love toward us.

How to make a pledge. This year, you will receive a commitment card in the mail sometime during the week of October 4. Be on the look out for that card and an explanation for how to join in this year’s Consecration Sunday ritual. There will be an opportunity during our online worship service — and during the in-person 9:27 service — for you to make your commitment on the card provided or digitally through our website. If you will be mailing your pledge, we hope to receive all cards by Friday, Oct. 16.

I want to thank each of you for taking the time to consider what God is calling you to do during this season of your life. Each person has a chance to make an impact through our financial gifts, and I hope you’ll do so like never before.

Make 2020 the year you make the move!

Stewardship is an indispensable part of being a follower of Jesus Christ. It is a faith-based lifestyle which recognizes God’s ownership of all things – including our time, abilities and financial resources. As the Psalmist says, “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it…” (Psalm 24:1). By supporting St. John’s mission and ministry with a percentage of your income and time, you join the whole family of God by sharing in Christ’s ongoing work of spreading a gospel of faith, love and hope. A few tips:

1. Giving begins in prayer. As you give thanks for the blessings of life, invite God to guide you into a particular level of giving.
2. Review the chart below as you consider your currently level of giving and where God might be leading you.
3. After making your decision, indicate it on the pledge card (mailed the week of October 3) or by completing the fillable form on our website.
4. Offer your pledge on Consecration Sunday, surrounded by prayers of thanksgiving and praise.