Stewardship: Justin & Roland

Good morning, I am Roland Tactay. When Pat approached my husband, Justin Lewis, and me about sharing a lay witness about stewardship, we were a little taken aback, honestly. There were no wings of the cathedral emblazoned with our names; no stained glass windows donated by our great grandparents; and nothing that seemed extraordinary about our stewardship commitment at all. But then… we we sat down and thought about it. That was exactly the point. Stewardship is not about names in marble or stained glass windows, it’s about supporting an institution that supports you—emotionally, culturally, socially and, of course, spiritually. So that’s the framework through which we view our stewardship.

Emotionally: St. Paul’s is more than a place to be “hatched, matched and dispatched.” It is our church home for all of the ups and downs in between those milestones. Our lives are constantly in motion, and the Cathedral provides a grounded foundation, a lighthouse in the storm, and a constant against which all of the troubles of the world can be seen in context.

Culturally: The pages of Cathedral Life are filled with opportunities for outreach, activism, personal growth and experiencing the diverse culture that makes up our Cathedral community. We live in North County—so have a slightly longer ride home than most—and it’s still not long enough to read about everything that is going on at the Cathedral every week!

Socially: No matter who we are outside of the Cathedral the rest of the week, when we walk through these doors and take our seats here on Sunday morning, all of that melts away. Every age—from strollers to walkers. Every color of the rainbow. Every configuration of family. And every tax bracket. We’re all here for the same reason: parishioners sharing the Gospel.

And Spiritually: Every Sunday—without fail—we leave the Cathedral spiritually renewed. Fantastic preaching that speaks to us, and inspires us. Amazing sacred music that is uplifting and grounded in a diverse Anglican tradition showcasing the breadth and talent of our own choir as well as special guests. And a sense of community that is welcoming and embraces “you who have much faith, and you who have little; you who have been here often and you who have not been for a long time or ever before; you who have tried to follow and you who have failed…” One Sunday, when we first started attending the Cathedral, I came in while Justin parked. When he paused at the door the usher kindly asked “can I help you find a seat?” He said, “no, I’m just looking for my husband.” To which she replied, “This is a great place to find one!” That’s when we knew we’d found our church home!

Those are just a few of the reasons that stewardship is important to us, but we’d invite you to think about how St. Paul’s brings you joy, because stewardship is deeply personal. Stewardship is a commitment to the Cathedral that should mirror the commitment that you feel the Cathedral has made to you. How is your life better as a member of this awesome place? And how would you like to support it?

Thank you.