EMILY TOLLY, MEMBER
Around the time my family started coming to St. Paul's, I found a letter my grandmother had written me about her faith. I was sorting through saved cards and I'm so grateful I decided to read her letter again.
She wrote that her faith began as a 10 year old after suddenly losing her father. She shared her belief that "Jesus meant to LOVE" and went on to say that "everyone is our brother and sister whether they believe or not and that means our individual family, church family, neighbors and others around the world." Her letter is now tucked safely in my bedside table.
As a child, my parents made efforts to raise my brother and I as good stewards - to give generously to our communities and take care of others. The ending to my prayer each night was “God Bless the whole wide universe”, because I didn’t want to leave anyone out.
My parents also provided me an allowance and 4 Manila envelopes to split it: 1 for spending, 1 for savings, 1 for college savings, and 1 for offering. I will confess, at times I would take a few dollars out of my offering envelope and place it into my spending envelope. But my Lutheran guilt aside, I learned the value of giving my resources for something bigger than myself.
In my career as a social worker, I have been witness to some of the worst of humanity, but above that, I continue to be struck by the resilience and hope that carries families, especially in hardship. Despite the biases and limitations of the systems I work within, I have seen the direct impact financial resources and support have on family and child well-being. My role is to meet families in their most vulnerable moments, collaborate and offer resources, and respect their worth and dignity along the way. I approach my role with the words of Lilla Watson, an Indigineous Australian elder, in mind: “If you come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together."
I give to St. Paul’s with hope for a future where we all work together towards collective goodness. I want to be a model for my children and put my money and time where my values stand. I respect the transparency around money and dedication to justice and dignity I see at St. Paul’s. The honoring of faith traditions, while rising to the needs of the evolving present day. It is refreshing to find a church that does not pretend to have all of the answers and is willing to do the challenging work to improve as a community. This season of stewardship For Good reminds me of lyrics from a favorite song by the Wailin’ Jenny’s: “This is the sound of all of us, Singing with love and the will to trust, Leave the rest behind it will turn to dust, This is the sound of all of us.”