Expectations

Certainly everyone has received the latest stewardship materials. In the January/February issue of the Messenger a footnote on the Stewardship Review page states: "**Based on the outcome of the Fall 2009 General Assembly, it was determined that the projected operating deficit of $135,000 for the 2010 budget be recovered through Stewardship." We further read that this is an increase of 15% over the budgeted amount for 2009 of $625,000.

If memory serves, the General Assembly asked for cuts in the 2010 budget, which was never passed. How is it now that we are told that stewardship must increase by $135,000? We are expected to give generously yet we are deprived of the opportunity to worship on major feast days. Information that we are entitled to according to the UPRs is withheld; general assemblies are no longer a place where our voice can be heard as we are either out of order or cut off; qualified members of our community are excluded from serving on the parish council for frivolous reasons, yet we are expected to give generously. How can our leaders have such expectations when they continue to enforce pray, pay and obey?