Dear Friends,

Empowering disciples of Jesus for Chattanooga and the world. For St. Paul’s, this mission statement comes directly from Jesus’ final words to his apostles when he says to them, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). This instruction from Jesus to his apostles and to us is both a call to action and a comforting reminder of his love for us. We are called as a parish to provide a place where all can be formed into the likeness of Christ and empowered to love others as he loves us.

At St. Paul’s, we strive to live into this mission each day. We do this through worshiping God in beauty and splendor, reaching out in service to others, advocating for God’s justice in the world, caring for the creation of this earth, formation designed to deepen our spiritual journey, fellowship both inside and outside the parish walls, and in giving of ourselves, our resources, and our talents to the glory of God. This year’s annual campaign for the support of the mission and ministry of St. Paul’s will focus on Empowering Disciples through Stewardship and the specific ways in which we ourselves are empowered as disciples. We will particularly explore how we are empowered through actions of giving.

In the coming weeks, you will be invited to prayerfully consider your 2024 pledge. As you do so, I hope you will also consider the ways in which your decisions around your financial support of St. Paul’s empower this parish as a reflection of Christ in the world. How do these financial decisions shape your life as a disciple of Christ? In what ways do acts of stewardship empower you to serve Christ in the world? These and other questions will be part of our annual conversation around the financial support of St. Paul’s. I look forward to engaging in this process with you.

If you would like to make your commitment early by submitting your pledge for 2024 now, you may do so by clicking the link above. Each pledge made before the first campaign mailing will save money and resources, and make it possible for us to plan earlier for 2024. If you’d rather see a printed pledge card, you can click here to download one, find one in your pew on Sunday, or simply watch your mailbox for our annual campaign mailing to go out in a couple of weeks.

Thank you in advance for your ongoing support of the life of this parish as we seek to collectively engage in the empowerment of disciples at St. Paul’s and beyond.

Peace,
The Rev. Brad Whitaker, Rector