Monday, November 6, 2023
stewardship 4: WHY I GIVE TO ST. JOHN’S
Ken Slover, St. John’s Vestry
My name is Ken Slover and I consider myself fortunate to serve on the St. John’s vestry and even more fortunate for being a part of St. John’s Episcopal Church for close to 30 years.
When I moved to New Hampshire from New Jersey in my mid-twenties, I made it my priority to find a place of worship. I grew up in the Reformed Church, in a tight-knit parish in the small town of Griggstown, NJ. Reformed has always sounded to me like it’s a bit on the fringe so I’m quick to tell people it’s similar to a Methodist or Lutheran Church. I was not aware of a Reformed Church near Portsmouth so on Sundays I would venture out and try different places of worship. As a young man of 25 who had only known the traditions of the Reformed Church, it was an interesting journey. I visited many churches before I found myself at St. John’s one Sunday. I remember afterwards calling my parents back in NJ and saying, “I really liked the Catholic Church!”
While I didn’t know the difference between an Episcopal church or a Roman Catholic one, as I had rarely attended either, what I did know was that I felt at home at St. John’s. I remember listening to the readings and the gospel and the sermon, and I could reflect on their meaning in my own life. When the choir sang, I felt a sense of joy and peace. And, at the end of the service when I walked out the door, I breathed in the fresh air and allowed myself to reset.
Today, the time to reflect and reset is a gift that St. John’s continues to give me. And, like many of you, I have had the good fortune of raising a family at St. John’s, and they, too, can experience this gift of peace and renewal. I will be forever grateful for the spiritual guidance St. John’s has provided for my family.
The reason I give is simple: I feel that I am lucky to have this wonderful place of worship and all that it has to offer. And I need to care for it as it cares for me, and to never take it for granted. This is why I give.