Kerry Angle
My name is Kerry Angle. I am a head usher; and I facilitate the Sisters of the Spirit book club, among other things. I came to St. Martin’s the first time with my husband, Rex, and our two children, Elizabeth and Stephen, back in 1996, when our children were very small. We were here less than a year before moving to Arkansas, but we hoped we might come back some day.
We did come back in June 2001, when our children were in elementary school. I was so happy that we would be coming back to St. Martin’s, a church we already loved. I was excited to get our children into VBS, to offer myself for volunteering, and to sign that pledge card. I was excited about all of these things, because it was my way of planting our family flag, of saying “this is our church family; we want to be a part of this community.”
Dear friends, when we think about St. Martin’s, when we think about the church, it is important that we remember that it is not an institution we attend. It is not a service that is provided to us by others. In fact, we ARE the church. We are the body of Christ. We are His physical presence in the world. His hands, his feet, his eyes, his heart. If His work is to be done in this world, it is for us to do it. We are called to this by our baptismal vows. We must give of our time, our talent, and our treasure to answer God’s call to us to be Christ’s body. Every good gift comes from God. When we give of our gifts – our time, our talent, and our treasure – we are giving back to God what is already God’s own.
When Father Ron met with those of us who are offering videos or articles on stewardship this year, he said something that really struck me. He said “when the first fruits are offered to God, the offering consecrates the whole of the harvest. So when we offer our gifts in service to God, the whole of our substance and possessions are thereby made holy.” This is a beautiful idea to me. I ask you to join with me this year in consecrating ourselves and our possessions to God by answering God’s call to stewardship.
Consecration Sunday
October 20
One Morning Service at 10:30 am followed by
A Complimentary celebration lunch
catered by Spring Creek BBQ
Click here to let us know your attendance plans!