Give.
We talk a lot about "Stewardship". Stewardship is the responsible management of the resources God has entrusted to us. It is a way of giving back to God a portion of what God has generously provided, as we acknowledge that all of our possessions come from God. We invite you to join us in supporting our mission and ministries, knowing that our collective gifts are used to positively impact our community.
We practice giving in three primary ways:
Annual Pledge
A pledge is simply a statement of our gift intentions—basically, it is what you hope to offer to the church during the year. We pledge for two reasons: first, our pledges enable our parish leaders to create responsible, informed budgets. Second, and more importantly, pledging for the coming year provides the giver the opportunity to offer to God from their “first fruits” — not from what is leftover. You can easily set-up your pledge using the button below.
Stewardship 365
Our Stewardship 365 program seeks to connect God's abundant generosity with our gratitude and giving. We seek ways to offer our time, talents, and treasure to opportunities that present themselves throughout the year.
Great Oak Endowment
The Great Oak Endowment Fund enables the parish to fulfill its mission by developing its ministries beyond what is possible through its annual operating funds.
How you can help St. Catherine’s fulfill its mission?
The Great Oak Endowment Fund of St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church was established to enable the parish to fulfill its mission more effectively by developing its ministries beyond what is possible through its annual operating funds. Distributions from the Fund will be limited to:
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Capital needs of the parish
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Outreach ministries and grants
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Seed funding for new ministries and special one-time projects
“The Minister of the Congregation is directed to instruct the people, from time to time, about the duty of Christian parents to make prudent provision for the well-being of their families, and of all persons to make wills, while they are in good health, arranging for the disposal of their temporal goods, not neglecting, if they are able, to leave bequests for religious and charitable uses.”
—Book of Common Prayer, p. 445
Why establish an endowment fund?
Our annual stewardship commitments of time, talent and financial resources ensure St. Catherine’s mission within our community and beyond on a daily basis. The Great Oak Endowment Fund provides a legacy to ensure the church’s mission for the next 50 years and beyond. Our annual stewardship pledges to the church and our long-term commitments to the Fund both return to God a portion of the abundance we have received, now and in the future. With the former, we pledge from our current income, time and talents, whereas with the latter, we support the church’s mission in perpetuity.
An invitation to join the Great Oak Society
Members of the Great Oak Society have expressed their commitment to St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church by naming the Fund as the ultimate beneficiary of a planned gift. Membership involves no dues or obligations, but it does allow us to thank you and recognize you for the plans you have made, and it may inspire generosity in others. Great Oak Society members automatically gain membership into The Bishop C. Judson Child Heritage Circle. Through the Circle, the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta acknowledges people who make a planned gift to a diocesan parish, the diocese, or other Episcopal institutions. The most important benefit that you will receive from joining the Great Oak Society, however, is the satisfaction derived from making a lasting contribution to the mission and ministries of our church. If you would like your gift or bequest to remain confidential, we will certainly respect such requests, but please let us know if you have included St. Catherine’s in your plans as we want to make sure your wishes for your legacy are fulfilled.
Ways to support the Fund
There are many ways to make a gift to the Fund. The choice of an appropriate gift vehicle usually provides significant tax advantages to the donor. Some of the most common are:
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Naming St. Catherine’s as a beneficiary of your traditional IRA, 401(k) and other retirement account(s).
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Bequests for loved ones, the church, and others through a provision in the donor’s will.
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A Charitable Gift Annuity or a Charitable Remainder Trust allows a donor to receive income for life while making a major gift to the Fund.
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An outright gift, which provides an immediate tax deduction (and can be made in honor or memory of a loved one).
The Great Oak Fund.
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What is Catechesis of the Good Sphepherd?The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) is a religious formation approach based on scripture and liturgy that uses the educational and pedagogical principles of Dr. Maria Montessori. The CGS roots are in the Roman Catholic tradition and have been adapted for the Episcopal Church. The Catechism of the Episcopal Church, found in the back of the Book of Common Prayer, is a series of questions and answers that outline our faith. In comparison, the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is framed to where children are encouraged to ask the questions and to discover the answers through work with specially crafted presentations and materials. The content corresponds to the liturgical seasons and the life of the church.
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What is an Atrium?The atrium is an environment prepared to nurture the already present spirituality of children. Dr. Montessori borrowed the term “atrium” from the early church, as it was the space where the catechumens were prepared for Baptism. The atrium contains a variety of hands-on materials that are developmentally appropriate for the age range of children that they serve. The catechists and other parishioners have made many of the materials as part of their own personal formation experience.
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Who or What is a Catechist?Each atrium has at least one catechist--a teacher trained in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd method--along with assistant-trained adults. Their role is to prepare the environment and present lessons that inspire children to draw closer to God, asking questions like, "Who are you, God? How do you love us? What is the Kingdom of God like? What is our place in it?" Adults and children explore these questions together, learning from each other through the Scriptures and the prepared environment. Catechists undergo background and security checks in addition to their training.
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What Materials are Used?Materials in the atrium are attractively and carefully displayed. Most items have been lovingly hand made by our parishioners. The most important characteristic of the materials is their close link to the biblical and liturgical sources. “The material consists of concrete “signs” of a transcendent reality (and) is a way of letting the child prolong, alone with the inner teacher, the meditation begun together with the adult.” — Sofia Cavalletti The children explore the materials at their own pace. This freedom allows the children’s understanding to develop and deepen.
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Why do Children Spend Three Years in One Atrium?Each level of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd contains three years of material. Even though children may remain in the same classroom they are receiving new lessons each year. A benefit of remaining in the same classroom is that a child may revisit a previous lesson with new perspectives or questions. “The themes (presented to the youngest children) serve as a bud; they unfold as the children grow, according to their developmental needs.” — Catherine Maresca Some of our atria serve children in a two or three year age span. This gives everyone the opportunity to be the younger child who watches and learns from the older children and to be the older child who is a role model for the others.
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Are Adults Allowed in the Atrium?Any parishioner is welcome to schedule a time when they can come and observe an atrium, come for presentations for themselves, or simply come to explore the space. In addition, there will be an “Open Atrium” one Sunday during the year when the children can bring their parents into the atrium and give them their favorite presentations or show them their favorite work. During the Sunday School Hour our attentions are focused on the children.
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How can I Become More Involved?We are always looking for folks to assist and to become trained catechists. We need materials made. We have a list of items that can be purchased and gifted to the atria. There is reading if you’re interested. You can come for presentations by making an appointment with a catechist. Please make yourself known to us if you hear that quiet little voice calling you to the Catechesis in any way. It is our joy and pleasure to talk with you about your involvement in Catechesis.
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What are some other sources of information about Catechesis of the Good Shepherd?St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church is a member of the National Association of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, USA. For more information on Catechesis of the Good Shepherd please visit the National Association’s website: www.cgsusa.org
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What are the ages of the children served by the CGS?As with the Montessori model, each atrium serves a three-year age span of children up to age 12. We have four atria, located on the main floor of the parish, serving a variety of ages: Toddler Atrium: 18 months to Age 3 Level I Atrium: Ages 3-6 Level II Atrium: Ages 6-9 Level III Atrium: Ages 9-12