My dearest siblings in Christ,
“Wisdom graciously appears to them in their paths.”
Wisdom of Solomon 6:16
In Sunday’s sermon (which you can find here for those who asked for it), I reflected on the experience of waiting in the dark and the challenge of preparing for a future we cannot yet see. The wise bridesmaids in Jesus’ parable were not praised because they knew exactly when the bridegroom would arrive. In fact, they didn’t. They were commended because they were prepared. They had tended their lamps and carried enough oil to remain faithful through the long night.
At this moment, I cannot think of a more fitting image for where we find ourselves as a Cathedral community today.
We are in a season between what has been and what will be. As we continue the search for our next dean, many questions remain unanswered. We do not know exactly what the future will hold, but we do know God has guided us this far. Like generations of faithful Episcopalians before us, we are called to tend our lamps, seek God’s wisdom, and prepare faithfully for whatever comes next.
This year’s stewardship campaign, A Future with Hope, is ultimately about that preparation.
In the sermon, I shared how Wisdom often appears not in certainty or control, but in faithful endurance. Wisdom teaches us to trust that God’s future is larger than our fears and God’s possibilities greater than our imaginations. Stewardship is one of the ways we live into that wisdom. Every pledge is an act of faith, a statement of belief that God is still at work through St. Paul’s Cathedral. Every gift keeps the lamp burning so that worship, music, outreach, pastoral care, formation, and hospitality continue to illuminate lives in the name of Christ in Bankers Hill and beyond.
As I write, we have received $415,474 in pledges toward our 2027 goal of $1,092,000, leaving $676,526 still needed to fully fund our ministry for the coming year.
Rather than discouraging me, that number fills me with hope.
Hope does not come from knowing exactly how the story ends. Hope comes from witnessing how God works through faithful people. Time and again, I have watched this congregation answer God’s call with extraordinary generosity. I have seen you feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, nurture children and youth, care for one another in times of loss, and proclaim the Gospel with joy and conviction. Those acts of faith are the oil that has sustained our community for generations.
None of us can control the future. But together we can help shape it. Through our prayers, our service, and our giving, we can ensure that St. Paul’s remains a place where future generations will discover God’s love, encounter Christ’s presence, and hear the call to serve others.
The people who built and sustained this Cathedral before us did not know our names, yet they trusted God enough to invest in a future they would never fully see. We are the beneficiaries of their faithfulness. Now it is our turn.
The wise bridesmaids did not borrow oil at the last moment; they cultivated readiness long before it was needed. In much the same way, our stewardship commitments today prepare St. Paul’s for tomorrow. They strengthen our ministries now while helping us welcome new leadership with confidence, stability, and hope.
I believe God is already at work in this season of transition. I believe Wisdom continues to walk ahead of us, graciously appearing in our path. And I believe that together we can meet this moment with courage, generosity, and trust.
Every pledge matters. Every gift is an expression of faith. Every act of generosity helps keep the light of Christ shining brightly in this place we love.
If you have not yet made your 2027 pledge, I invite you to prayerfully consider how God may be calling you to participate in our shared mission. You may pledge online at https://stpaulcathedral.org/my-pledge/, or pick up a pledge card on Sunday.
Ingathering Sunday will be November 22nd, when we will bring our pledges to the altar as offerings of gratitude, hope, and commitment. Together we will celebrate not only what God has done among us, but what God is preparing us for in the years ahead.
We will continue seeking wisdom in the dark, tending our lamps with faith, and trusting in God’s promise of a future filled with hope.
Yours in Christ,
The Rev. Richard Hogue
Canon for Congregational Life
