Over and over again, I hear voices say, “I am astonished that I have found a church where I can really feel at home,” when they tell me their story of coming to St. Stephen’s. I, myself have a deep love affair with this place that started growing on my very first Sunday. I had never been here, nor had I even ever been to the city of Norman before I got the telephone call telling me I was coming to be the pastor of St. Stephen’s. But I soon realized that this was a place that I was going to love and to be grateful for, every day of the week.

This appointment has given me the opportunity to be in ministry in ways I never could have in my previous assignment, nor could I in many other assignments in many other places, because no place is quite like St. Stephen’s. We offer ministry in a town that is like no other, and we provide a faith community that is like no other. I guess part of the beauty in the breadth of diversity within the United Methodist Church is that we don’t have to be cookie-cutter churches that mimic one another. We embrace our denominational basics, but each church or ministry knows that it serves a particular community with a specific face and personality. We are unique, and we serve our unique city.

St. Stephen’s is doing a wonderful job here, if I do say so myself. Three of our church members were quoted this week on the front page of the paper for having spoken out for civil rights at a recent community meeting. Many of our members teach in one kind of school or another, shaping young minds and doing their best to challenge and inspire minds so that their communities will one day be better places. St. Stephen’s members almost trip over each other, especially around Christmastime, promoting various mission projects that will help those who are worse off than ourselves. We work really hard at trying to do the right thing to live out the Kingdom of God and, in doing so, make this world a better place.

So, let’s keep it going. St. Stephen’s is not unlike any other nonprofit organization; we operate on donations. We don’t receive any kind of funding from the Mother Ship or the Central Office or something…we thrive and live via the faithful generosity of those who worship here.

Everyone can be a philanthropist, no matter his or her station or situation in life. Take some time to consider prayerfully your pledge card and turn it in, mail it in, e-mail it in, or call it in. Your pledge amount is kept confidential, and no amount is the incorrect amount. Please be a philanthropist for St. Stephen’s and help us raise our budget for 2012 by Sunday, November 6th.