I see the annual report as a time capsule for those who come after us, so that it is mostly a year in review; but during the Annual Meeting, I try to use it to look forward a little bit—and so here is a summary of what I talked about at our 2025 Annual Meeting.
I shared that I often see students from Walter Johnson sitting at the picnic tables during lunch; and I saw some kids from the neighborhood there one Saturday with what I assumed was lunch from a shop in Wildwood; and one day I saw a lone student set up for a study session, the table covered with notebook and textbook, etc. We have beautiful grounds at St. Luke’s, and we want to make sure our neighbors know—
they are welcome here! The picnic tables do a good job of softening the boundaries between us and our neighborhood, and I think God would like that.
We hope that the daycare will be another thing that softens the boundaries of the church, that it allows for more coming and going, a way for people to experience God’s welcome—but we know that it comes with cost, and that having the daycare means we can’t have Sunday School in the traditional model. We’ve been moving towards a more intergenerational approach in the past years anyway, and church is one of the only places left in our society that is multigenerational. I hope we will embrace and celebrate that in the future, like we did with the splash park and mini golf at the beginning of summer, which were lovely events attended by people of all ages and household makeup. We have intergenerational Sunday School on November 9 at 11:15 am, when we can support our younger members’ faith formation by doing faith formation alongside them.
I let the parish know that when I offer a special welcome “to anyone who might be new or visiting today” that means there is someone new or visiting. And you’ll notice I say it most Sundays! That’s a good day to be brave and introduce yourself to someone you don’t know; just say “I’m not sure we’ve met” and introduce yourself. You may meet someone who has been coming to St. Luke’s for 5 years, but that’s good too! On days when I say that, I need to use those first 10 minutes after church to welcome those newcomers and visitors so that I can answer any questions they might have.
I know that many people in our church are struggling right now with the government shutdown, funding challenges, and unpredictability. At the Annual Meeting I let people know that they could pause or cancel their pledge if needed and that we’d be fine, and that there is a diocesan emergency fund for those affected by layoffs, furloughs, or immigration complications; and I encouraged everyone to keep looking out for each other. I also said, “It is okay to say no; it is also okay to say yes to something.” This is not a time to isolate; being a part of accomplishing something could be a good antidote to feeling powerless. We all need to remember that no matter what, we are part of the body of Christ, and we have something to offer the community.
Our annual giving theme this year is “Make a difference.” Simple, and very powerful. No matter what happens, we must remember we have the power and the responsibility to make a difference. God gave us work to do, gifts to offer. Helping St. Luke’s make our goal of 100 pledges for the 2026 giving campaign is a concrete way that we can see ourselves making a difference. Smaller pledges are critical to our getting to that goal of 100 pledges, so don’t underestimate the value of your gift.
I did mention—because I wanted it on the official record—that it is okay if the state of the world is causing you to question God or God’s goodness. I can’t make those doubts go away, but I can say that is normal, makes a lot of sense, and doesn’t affect your status as a beloved child of God. I do hope you’ll continue to talk to God—even if just yelling—but I want to remind you that God welcomes you, no matter what you believe or don’t believe, no matter how angry or discouraged you may be.
The world is full of great need right now. Finding a way, no matter how small, to meet a need, is good for the spirit. These efforts are seeds of hope that take root in our souls and remind us that…love wins. As we go into these darker months, find ways, no matter how small, to make a difference, letting God’s light shine through you and scatter the darkness.
