Why St. Mark's? Ted Talks About Love
Posted on by Ted - a 30-something member
When I was in middle school and first began really listening to a lot music, I decided I had to make an important choice: Was I a fan of the Beatles or the Rolling Stones? It’s absurd for anyone to feel they need to make this distinction for themselves – especially a twelve-year-old living in Central Virginia in the early nineties – but I decided I was a Rolling Stones fan. I’ll spare you most of the reasons for this choice, but one of them had to do with the Beatles song, “All You Need is Love.” In my cynical, adolescent mind, this was an absurd statement. Surely we all need quite a bit more than love. We need food, shelter, education, protection from the elements, medical care, and assistance in emergencies. Love is great, but it doesn’t, as they say, “pay the bills.”
In true Millennial fashion, I do all my banking either online or with plastic. If donating to the church depended on me having cash in my wallet or finding the box in my closet where I left my checkbook, it would simply never happen. So until we have collection plates that accept Apple Pay, I have my modest weekly gift electronically debited from my bank account. When I look at my account online and see the weekly entry for St. Mark’s, our motto always pops into my head: “Love is our tradition.” And that’s what my gift is. It’s a gift of love. Coming here and being with this congregation brings me joy and fulfillment. And I am grateful for the opportunity to show my love.
That’s what my twelve-year-old self didn’t understand. Love can take so many forms. And most excitingly, my gift of love gives the opportunity for further love to be given. Love in the form of food that we provide for through our food pantry and soup ministry. Love in the form of shelter that we provide when we sponsor Caritas or send groups to St Paul, Virginia. Love in the form of education we help provide by supporting the Anna Julia Cooper Episcopal School. Love in the form of protection from the elements when we act as a City of Richmond Cooling Center in the summer. Love in the form of medical care when we raise money for the Fan Free Clinic. Love the form of emergency assistance when we sent aid to New Orleans and Haiti. It is our collective gifts of love that pay the bills for this church and allow us to share our tradition.
Love, as it turns out, can fulfill a great many of a person’s needs and a community’s needs. But we don’t have to look far to see neighbors in need of so much more love. Our community needs so much more love. So how can you show your love? This is a great opportunity. Whether it is with cash or check or online deduction – maybe the Stewardship Committee will think about Apple Pay next year – here is your chance to love your neighbor. And to love your community. And to love your church.