Dear Friends in Christ,

In recent weeks and months we have been looking at a constellation of critical building and property needs. In the most recent storms there were over 50 leaks across the campus in various places.

As we all know, things get old, parts have to be replaced, and this kind of ongoing work is part of sharing the work of caring for an historic property.

Our new facilities director, Mike Italiano, is doing incredible work cataloging the needs and working a long-term plan to address these and other needs.

If you want to be really creeped out—we had over 200 pack rats removed from the property as well! Add to that the sewer line collapse, roof replacement, AC unit replacement, ongoing drainage issues, and more. It has been a busy season, to say the least.

In the weeks ahead we’ll share detailed lists of all the projects on the horizon.

We expect them all to be part of a capital campaign to prepare the campus for its next century of life. This kind of capital work is in addition to the normal (stewardship) giving we do to sustain the day-to-day worship and ministry of the parish.

Some of these projects, like sewers and leaks, need immediate attention and are what we might term “red” projects. Others are what we might term “yellow” and these include organ restoration and columbarium work. The last tranche are what we might think of as “green” and are the exciting things we’d love to see done and will follow on once the red and yellow needs are addressed.

Information about each of the needs and how they fit into the long term facility master plan will come out in the weeks ahead. We will also releas two videos soon. One is on the history of the architecture and buildings, and the other is a conversation with our facilities director as he lays out the various needs so folks understand where they are and how we expect to address them.

The last capital campaign was the one that built the children’s center and music room in the nineties so we are overdue for this kind of focus on sustaining our facilities for the next generation.

Excitingly, there are property improvements that our architect has been working on that will be bundled with these needed repairs. From restoring the fish pond garden and labyrinth to expanding the Columbarium, our goal in planning has been to take the spaces we love and make them more accessible and sustainable while sticking closely to the original architectural vision.

From pack rats to termites to leaks there is a lot that goes into caring for this place.

We worship in a building of unmistakable beauty—an architectural gem set against the Catalinas with soaring Mission‑Revival lines and mountain views that draw breath and lift the soul. Yet alongside that beauty lies the reality: our facility, while iconic, carries a number of significant and expensive maintenance needs.

This very real tension invites deep reflection on stewardship, covenant, and our communal responsibility to care for what God has entrusted to us. We worship in a setting that is priceless, but it has its expenses!

All we have—our life, our talents, our buildings—is ultimately God’s gift.

Stewardship is not simply about giving to the church; it is about recognizing that everything in creation belongs to the Creator, and that we ourselves are caretakers called to honor and preserve those gifts.

We are not owners but stewards.

Our beautiful church building, grounds, and mountain‑framed vistas are part of those gifts. When roof tiles wear, masonry cracks, heating or AC systems falter, or leaks threaten our interior, we are called to respond not only pragmatically, but spiritually—to repair and sustain and steward as we’re called to do in so many parts of our lives.

It’s a kind of covenant. God invites, and we respond.

Covenant is fueled by grace, sustained by gratitude, and embodied in action—not least in how we treat our physical surroundings. Taking care of our place of worship, gathering, and service is not an extra; it is part of our covenant response to God’s invitation to live, love, and be loved by God in this place.

Our liturgy here gives shape and stability to our worship life, grounding us in tradition even as it draws us into encounter with the divine. The beauty of our music and worship is matched by the beauty of our worship space and its surroundings. Most of all it is sustained by the beautiful communities that gather here week after week from generation to generation.

When our sanctuary is well cared for—with stained glass, stonework, organ pipes, art, lighting, and mountain views intact—we offer a glimpse of God’s glory and nurture a sense of place and rootedness for all who gather. This space is an outward and visible sign of our thankfulness to God for all the gifts we have—all of which we use to worship and adore him.

Responsible stewardship includes the disciplines of giving of time, talent, and treasure. This can never be just financial because it is about the deeper spiritual discipline of expressing both gratitude and accountability to God.

We have both immediate building needs and long‑term preservation concerns. Our endowment funds—especially the Preservation & Endowment fund—exist precisely to support caring for our historic architecture and sacred art across generations. All of this enables vibrant worship, supports ministries, welcomes seekers and visitors, and honors the commitments of earlier generations. It positions us to continue sharing Christ with creativity and joy across generations.

Generosity flows from gratitude; we give because God first gave. Practices such as pledging, endowment contributions, memorial gifts, or capital campaign offerings are not about meeting budgets—they are spiritual acts of commitment, marking our covenant response to God’s generosity.

As a parish, we are invited to consider how our gifts—renewed, increased, sacrificial—can meet both present needs and build long‑term resilience for this beloved community.

Taking care of this beautiful building with its iconic mountain views and historic artistry is more than a capital project—it is a theological virtue.

It stands at the intersection of gratitude, covenant, worship, beauty, creation care, and mission. I am confident that we will faithfully respond, with generosity and care, stewarding this place for current and future generations to know Christ and to make Christ known—from generation to generation.

Yours in Christ,

—Fr Robert