JESUS TO HIS DISCIPLES. MATTHEW 25:13

The admonition to be woke (to borrow a current phrase) comes at the end of the parable of the wise and foolish maidens. The five wise maidens planned ahead and brought extra oil for what could be a long night. The five foolish maidens ran out of oil, and had to leave to get more, and were locked out of the wedding feast. Jesus is telling us to be ready, for we do not know God’s plans.

But it’s our annual stewardship drive and your parish administration and Finance Council wants to know your plans! At least how much you plan to give to support your parish in the coming year. We are nearing the end of 2020 (who won’t be glad to see it gone?), and that means a new year, and that also means your Finance Council will start thinking about a new budget, and your pledge can help them figure that out.

 Last week Yvonne Brandon, a self-professed fan of orderly lists, talked about four principles of Stewardship:

1. Ownership: “God created the earth and everything in it.” As such, God owns everything, and we are here as managers or Stewards, acting on his behalf.
2. Responsibility: Although God gives us “all things to enjoy,” nothing is ours; we’re responsible for how we treat Creation and what we do with it. Owners have rights; stewards have responsibilities
3. Accountability: All being stewards of the resources, abilities and opportunities that God has entrusted to our care, all are accountable.
4. Reward: In 2nd Corinthians the Apostle Paul said to his congregation, “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

This week, it is out of this sense of humility and responsibility that I would like you to consider your giving to St. Therese. Please take a look at your budget as a spiritual exercise. Consider your commitments and your gratitude and make some decisions from your heart. I would ask you to put your generosity first in your budget and then squeeze the rest in.

There are a lot of demands on your generosity: food banks are facing record demands, St. Vincent de Paul is struggling to keep many in southeast Seattle in their homes, and St. Therese needs your support. As you know, the St. Therese budget is showing a deficit. Closing that deficit would require about a 10% increase in giving. I know that for many of you, that is not possible but for those who can, it would help make your parish sustainable. For those who can’t, please give what you can from your resources.

Three weeks ago you received in the mail a list of ministries through which you can help build the Kingdom. Some of these ministries just require you to show up and do a task (remember, Laudato Si’ second Saturdays, 9:30!) Or getting out a mailing. Some require volunteer coordination, others, such as Social Justice, are very process-oriented. Almost all the commissions need someone to take minutes. Some need people to keep track of money. If you’re really not sure how you might fit in, take the Strengths Finders assessment on the website. The commitment form is on st-therese.cc on the right sidebar on a computer or near the bottom of the scroll on a phone.

The Adult Religious Education program is presenting a virtual series: The Sin and Tragedy of Racism. The first and second sessions are available as a video on our website. The last session will be this Thursday, November 12, at 7:00 p.m. See page 7 for more details.

Let us be generous with our financial resources:

• Give to the St. Vincent de Paul Society by going to our website at st-therese.cc. Scroll down to the St. Vincent de Paul button near the bottom of the home page. If you prefer to write checks, please send them to Sr. Kathleen - SVdP, 3514 E. Marion St., Seattle, WA 98122. The St. Therese conference has been overwhelmed by requests in the St. Edward’s area, which our conference is now serving. When the ban on evictions is lifted, the amount of accumulated delinquent rent will be crippling to many families. Please be generous!
• · You can make a gift to the parish online at st-therese.cc and clicking on the “Donate Now” button or use the Push-Pay app on your phone.