Good Steward Season

Posted on Tuesday, October 4, 2016

In 2007 we at St. Timothy celebrated our 50th anniversary of ministry. As a part of our festivities, we began a new practice, the presentation of the Good Steward Award. The award is given to a member of the congregation who best exemplifies the principles of Christian stewardship: the gracious giving of time, talent and treasure; selfless devotion to serving Christ and his people; faithfulness to the Christian disciplines of prayer and worship; a strong commitment to the ministry of St. Timothy Church. It had its origins in the congregation in which I did my pastoral internship way back in 1979-80, St. Michael and All Angels’ Lutheran Church, on the North Side of Pittsburgh.

St. Michael’s was in a tough urban neighborhood, optimistically called Spring Garden. The eponymous avenue was a twisting street in a dark, narrow valley which had once been dotted with meat packing plants. In the old days cattle were unloaded from stock cars in the rail yards by the Allegheny River (near the famous H.J. Heinz Plant). They were then herded and driven up and over Troy Hill to Spring Garden Avenue, where they made their trek to oblivion. There was a time when these doomed beasts and their attendant stench crowded the street. Despite the pleasant sounding name, for most of its history the avenue was known as “the Gut,” a name far more descriptive than Spring Garden.

By the time I arrived in Spring Garden the meat packers were long gone. No longer did plant workers occupy the frame houses that clung to the steep valley walls. Most of the folks in the neighborhood lived in poverty; many had been un- or underemployed for years. Yet, despite this sad state of affairs, the neighborhood’s only church was flourishing. Buoyed by the strong leadership of my supervisor, Pastor Paul Kokenda, the people of Spring Garden found meaning and purpose in the life of the congregation. Although the rich liturgical life of St. Michael’s attracted members from outside of Spring Garden, most of the congregation’s members were residents of the neighborhood. The church kitchen hosted the local meals on wheels program, and the congregation housed the “Re-Run Shop” which offered lightly used clothing at low, low prices. Near the end of my tenure, ground was broken for St. Michael’s Village, a project that provided low cost housing for local seniors. St. Michael and All Angels’ Lutheran Church was truly the community’s center. Christ existed as community in Spring Garden.

Recognizing the deep faith and hard work their fellow disciples, the congregation annually chose one of its number to receive the Good Steward Award. Inspired by their example (and responding to Debbie’s urging), I introduced St. Timothy’s Good Steward Award to highlight our 50th anniversary celebration in 2007. Nine years later, it’s time to choose once more that member of our fold who best exemplifies the virtues of Christian stewardship. Please see the next page for the nomination form!

In Jesus’ name,

Pastor Robert M. Mountenay