Note: This article first appeared in the October 2025 edition of This Month at St. Paul’s.
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“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” -Mark 12:30
Dear St. Paul’s family,
As we kick off the Annual Commitment Campaign for 2026, I want you to consider going “all in” with us. Bear with me here: In offering the greatest commandment, Jesus gathers up the entirety of our lives into a single, undivided love for God. That sounds like an impossible personal standard-total focus, total devotion, all the time—one most of us know we don’t meet on our best days. But Jesus is quoting the “Shema”, Israel’s daily prayer, which forms a people to love God together. The “all” here is not only about individual effort but the shared wholeness of a community made one in God’s love.
For most of us, “all in” likely evokes images of the poker table more than the Lord’s table —pushing every chip to the center in hopes of winning a big hand. But we’re not proposing a casino night for stewardship season here (sorry if that’s disappointing). In asking you to consider going “all in” with us, I’m not asking anyone to wager life and livelihood on St. Paul’s. Instead, hear an invitation for us to answer Jesus’ call together, so that what no one of us can offer fully, all of us can offer in common-heart, soul, mind, and strength-“all in” as a community called together by God.
In a world increasingly marked by animosity and division, there is something profoundly counter-cultural about choosing to go “all in” on the goodness of God we witness together at St. Paul’s. Here, we practice a different way: welcoming the stranger, caring for the vulnerable, celebrating the gifts of all God’s children. The inclusive hallmark of the Episcopal Church and the momentum of this moment in the life of our parish family is worth betting everything on-not because we’re perfect, but because we’re committed to the love Jesus commands.
Some of us can give heart-compassion that heals wounds in a fractured world. Some can give soul- prayers and worship that keep hope alive when news feels overwhelming. Some can give mind- teaching, learning, imagining the work of reconciliation ahead. Some can give strength-hands that serve, time that shows up, resources placed where healing is needed.
Our annual commitment campaign is a practice of saying we’re “all in” together, each according to the capacity we’ve been given. Left to ourselves, none of us demonstrate our love of God through our individual gifts.
Rather, loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength becomes a reality when we offer our gifts together. Our going “all in” together is not gamble; it is a response to the God who has already given everything to us in love.
As we look ahead to 2026, Ashley and I are pledging $19,000 as a sign of gratitude for gifts we share with you at St. Paul’s and our commitment to what God is doing among us. We invite you to consider what part of “all” God is asking from you this year, and then share that commitment with us via the enclosed pledge card or by visiting stpaulsepiscopal.com/give to fill out your card online.
Our hope is to receive all pledges by Homecoming Sunday, October 26, when we’ll gather at 10:30 AM to offer our collective commitment together in the Eucharist, then continue the celebration in the Parish Hall with community meal (with plenty of BBQ).
Remember: the One who calls us “all in” has already given all to us. That grace makes our generosity possible.
So let’s go all in-together—on the goodness God shares with and through us at St. Paul’s. It’s not a gamble. We have nothing to lose.
Gratefully,
View profile for The Rev’d Andrew Cannan
The Rev’d Andrew Cannan
Rector
View profile
for The Rev’d Andrew Cannan
The Rev’d Andrew Cannan
The Rev’d Andrew Cannan
Rector
Andrew appreciates the diversity of the journeys that bring people to find a home at St. Paul’s. He was baptized a Methodist, majored in religious studies at a Baptist university, married a Presbyterian, received a Master of Divinity as a Devil (the blue, basketball-crazed variety), and was ordained in a congregationalist church prior to finding his way as an Episcopal priest. “I was drawn to this strange Church that accepted the messiness of life and embraced it with grace and dignity. That sounded like a place where I could learn to live with God. That and I was always wanted to dress like Johny Cash.” In their downtime, Andrew and his wife, Ashley, enjoy East Carolina evenings in the backyard with their sons. On days off, he likely won’t be found fishing a remote section of the Eastern Pamlico that he is reluctant to disclose.
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