GIVE TO ST. ANDREW'S - STEWARDSHIP 2023

Love must act as light must shine and fire must burn.  
-James Otis Sargent Huntington
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You are the light of the world. A city on top of a hill can’t be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they put it on top of a lampstand, and it shines on all who are in the house …
"Let Your Light Shine."
(Matthew 5:14-16) 

Grace and Peace be with you, Cathedral ʻOhana, 
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As we enter our stewardship campaign, first and foremost, a message of thanks for all the goodness you have shared over this past year. Your dedication and gifts of time, self, and resources have been inspirational and exciting! I continue to be encouraged by the seen and unseen work you have done in the service of God. Especially now, after such a stretch of complex and challenging times where the darkness of uncertainty, fear, and grief have been tangibly present with us, your readiness to show up and shine your light is incredible. Thank you, I cannot say it enough. 
 With all we have experienced together, it seems only “meet and right” that our pledge campaign focuses us on light: the shining, sharing, and sustaining of our light in the world. Us sharing our God-given light is what we are intended for and compelled to do and our consideration of how we shine our light and how we will unceasingly continue to shine our light, is a crucial conversation for us to engage in together. We are reminded that God’s beautiful and shining purpose for us in our lives is to be light-bearers. We cannot escape that! Love compels us to act. Light compels us to shine.  
 This past year, I have seen that light demonstrated abundantly in our Cathedral: in our worship, learning, and prayer programs and gatherings, and in our service to the wider community and Diocese. As we actively emerge from the COVID-darkness, we are doing so with grace and intention, looking to connect with one another and our community in meaningful ways, creating lasting relationships and partnerships, looking to be the Cathedral intended by the Holy Sovereigns, sharing our light with all. We want to do so much more: deepen relationships, open new opportunities for worship and study, join in fellowship in the name of Christ, enrich connections within our Diocese and neighborhood. All of this takes your commitment and support; we cannot do this without you. Let’s Shine Our Light Together! 
 After all, when we bring our light out into the world, we express our gratitude, confidence, and willingness to take risks as light-bearers of Christ. In making our light visible, we make God’s love visible and available to all. Our willingness to accept the challenge to stretch and grow into the light-bearing mission of our Cathedral holds us to: Love must act as light must shine and fire must burn. 

Together, with God’s help, over this past year we have: 

• Worshipped in-person and online, gathering nearly 10,000 people on Sundays in 2022 
• Prayed together, virtually, in prerecorded liturgies, gathering nearly 5,000 people over 45 online services  
• Continued our financial support of local agencies and efforts, donating over $15,000 to aid our neighbors 
• Responded to crisis moments around the world; in one instance, collecting over $3000 for aid in Ukraine 
• Donated a carload of necessary school supplies to Kalihi Waena Elementary School 
• Prepared and provided over 100 sack lunches each week to Wallyhouse at St. Elizabeth’s Church 
• Provided space for 9 weekly meetings for community 12-step programs Collected over 300 pairs of slippers for Princess Ruth Ke‘elikōlani Middle School 
• Sponsored a holiday meal drive at Kalihi Waena Elementary School, providing groceries for over 200 families 
• Celebrated with St. Andrew’s Schools at major moments: 6th grade promotions, Senior Baccalaureate and Commencement, holiday concerts, as well as welcoming students, faculty, and staff for weekly chapels Provided the items on a Christmas wish list for a family through Family Promise 
• Learned from the wisdom of guest speakers from Punahou Voyaging Club, Sabeel, Virginia Theological Seminary, Samaritan Counseling Center, Anamchara Fellowship, and many others through Diocesan events Shared in music, hymnody, anthems, and choruses from around the world through the gifts of our Organists, Cathedral Choir, and Orvis Scholars 
• Procured a digital organ to bridge our music program through the ongoing restoration of our pipe organ 
• Installed hard-wired streaming cameras throughout the Cathedral Baptized, Confirmed, Married, and Buried members of our ‘ohana, all the while welcoming new family and friends with abundant Aloha. 

Prayerfully, I ask all of you to reflect on the gifts you have received and to consider how God is compelling you to bring your light to bear for the world with your time, talents, and treasure. Completing the enclosed pledge card with your commitment for 2023 enables us to plan our upcoming year. Your generosity makes it possible; your pledge makes it sustainable. Thank you for your generosity in helping us Shine Our Light!

With abiding gratitude, 
And with abiding aloha, 
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​Heather+ 
The Rev. Canon Heather Patton-Graham, Provost ​

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Help us discover what more can we do in 2023! 
Your generosity makes it possible; your pledge makes it sustainable.