And, with joy.

What makes a church feel like home? For Kathi O’Neill, it was the children, the music, the sermon, and a familiar face that brought her to Saint Peter’s 35 years ago. In this stewardship testimony, Kathi reflects on the generations of her family who have called Saint Peter’s home and the faith, love, and support she has found here. Her words remind us that stewardship is more than an obligation. It is an opportunity to give with joy and ensure that the grace and wisdom of this community are shared with future generations.

Good morning. My name is Kathi O’Neill and I’ve been a member of Saint Peter’s for about 35 years now. Unlike Desirée [Stolar], who planned carefully for her church visits, I did not. My mother found Saint Peter’s for me and my family. She visited a lot of churches in the area. She’d come home and say, “Nope, nope, not this one.” And then she came to Saint Peter’s. And this is pretty much a direct quote from her:  “There are a lot of kiddos there. Great music, good sermon, and I saw Mimi [Barringer].* That’s it. You’re done.” 

That was it. And I’ve been here ever since. My toddler children were baptized here. They were confirmed here and I was received here. My grandson was baptized here last year. And my mother’s and my daughter’s ashes are in the Memorial Garden. This is home. This is welcome.

This church has given me a great deal. I’ve learned about the sanctity and the beauty of the Eucharist and deepened my love for it. I’ve learned about the traditions of the church. I’ve learned about the Bible and how to read and study it in community and alone. I’ve learned how to support the Church’s missions, here in the neighborhood and far away.

The church has always had my back. At times when I have needed to be lifted up, and at times when I have wanted to laugh.  It  has had my back and I intend to have its back,  too.

So when I look at stewardship, I don’t look at it as a job or a task to do, something to check off or an obligation. To me, it is an opportunity to pay it forward – to make sure that the grace and wisdom that is here is available for my family and your families in the future. 

Giving to Saint Peter’s is a very special type of giving. It’s a path to generosity that I believe is full of joy, not duty and obligation. And it’s a wide path. I think all of you can join me on it. And I ask you to do so with prayer and thoughtfulness. And, with joy.

*Mimi Barringer, a member of Saint Peter’s who died in 2007, was a college friend of Kathi O’Neill’s and also a mother of young children at the time.

Kathi O’Neill