In Genesis, God put Adam in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. Gardens are spaces of beauty and abundance designed for human beings to cultivate and to delight in relationships with God, one another, and the created world. A garden grows over time, and with careful stewardship, a garden will flourish.
A church is like a garden in need of care, and we are so grateful for all who have participated in our church community this past year, as Emmanuel has grown, strengthened our congregation, and served our community in myriad ways, including:
deepening our focus on congregational development and supporting the growth of lay and clergy leadership through our work with the College for Congregational Development;
empowering organizations like HOPE, the No Boundaries Coalition, the Pride Center of Maryland, and Brown Memorial Tutoring, and others to do good work in our community through outreach grants and partnership;
expanding arts and culture programming including Music at Emmanuel's presentations of acclaimed performers and Gallery exhibits featuring the work of talented local artists.
Of course, it takes more than planting seeds for a garden to thrive, and it takes more than monetary support for Emmanuel to thrive. A more holistic view of stewardship means we are thinking, and praying, about more than just weekly payments. Consider the many aspects of giving:
Community: Help us serve our city & neighbors
Help meet community needs through generous donations of items such as clothing, food, or school supplies, and consider pledging to sustain your contributions throughout the calendar year. Read Emmanuel parishioner, Kelly McConkey’s reflection on what Community means.
Generosity: Help us fund our mission & ministry
Help meet operational needs by giving generously to support all the work of the church, and consider increasing your gift each year to keep up with rising costs. Did you miss hearing our Senior Warden, Eric Price’s words of wisdom about giving? Fear not, you can read his inspiring talk here.
Volunteer: Help us do the work of the church
Help meet liturgical and programming needs by volunteering for one or more of the church’s ministries, and consider pledging a commitment to continue serving the church for this program year. Elizabeth Olson Wise spoke at the 10:30am service on Sunday, October 27, about “cultivating a disposition of ‘yes’ to God.” Read her moving address here.
Commitment: Help us grow in faith together
Help meet communal needs by offering your heart, your fully-committed self, to this church family and to the city of Baltimore.
We invite you to Join Us In the Garden as we offer, in selfless adoration of God, what each of us is able to give for next year. We trust that if each of us gives what we can, Emmanuel Episcopal Church will continue to flourish.
