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Calvary Was Full of
Surprises When
I walked into Calvary Church for the first time in the summer of 2000, the
scaffolding was still up for the soon-to-be completed renovation. I looked
at the soaring ceiling, the stained glass windows and the marble altar and
thought, “These people must be rich! Not only do they have this huge
beautiful church, they can afford to maintain it.” This was something of a
relief. While it meant that I was probably going to be one of the poorer
members of the parish, it also meant that I could probably rely on the
other folks to keep things running.
But Calvary was full of
surprises. People were friendlier than I expected. Not everyone was rich.
And keeping Calvary running was a greater challenge than it first
appeared. My small pledge mattered more than I thought it would. As I got
to know Calvary better, I looked for places where my time and talent could
help most, and found that building the website and editing the Canticle
filled the bill. The scope of Calvary’s service and outreach was a
revelation—64 organizations and 700 volunteers supporting Calvary and the
community at large.
There were more surprises
when I joined the Vestry. The financial realities were sobering. A parish
with a commitment to service, education and outreach, as well as five old
buildings, has a remarkable balancing act. Running Calvary costs about
$500 per person per year, provided there are no major maintenance
emergencies. While Calvary has an endowment, there is a limited amount
that can be used each year or the funds would soon be depleted. Everyone’s
contribution counts.
Each year I’ve been able
to pledge more. I can’t say that it’s always been easy, but I can say that
it’s always felt like absolutely the right thing to do. Not just because
my pledge supports the work that Calvary does here and in the community,
but also because it increases my own sense of belonging to something
that’s both personal and spiritual.
Judy Cronin
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