Brothers and Sisters,
It was a blessing to gather with brothers and sisters from across our diocese at our synod this past week. For me, one of the highlights of Synod was the bishop’s pastoral address. Bishop Phil spoke about God’s present faithfulness to our diocese’s churches and our hope in the Lord for the future.
One congregation the bishop cited as an example of vitality in our diocese was none other than our own parish: Christ the Redeemer. Bishop Phil shared something very specific about what God has been doing in our congregation. He relayed that, at the beginning of 2026, I called him, concerned that we were anticipating a large budget deficit at Christ the Redeemer for the year. He encouraged me in my desire to emphasize the importance of stewardship and practicing biblical tithing in our parish. Here’s what resulted: Our congregation’s conversations about stewardship bore great fruit. Not only have we avoided a large deficit, but we’re also currently seeing a significant budget surplus.
Looking at the big picture, here’s what I think is happening: We’re growing, together, in obedience to the Lord as his disciples. When we grow as disciples, we catch increasingly wonderful visions of the Lord’s constant faithfulness.
My desire for us in the years ahead is that we keep growing and keep seeing the Lord move in mighty ways. I pray that we continue to grow in stewardship, building on what is already happening, but I hope that it doesn’t stop there. My desire is to see growth in obedience and the Lord’s blessing in every aspect of our life together.
As this year comes to a close, that desire is shaping my prayers and dreams for the year to come. Will you join me in praying that the Lord will continue to move mightily in our midst in the months and years ahead?
In Christ,
Fr. Caleb