Stewardship Campaign 2011

‘Thou Art the Journey and the Journey’s End’
–Boethius, 480-525 CE

Dear People of St. Paul’s,

Whether in stillness and contemplation, or navigating the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, the movement of time carries us steadily onward.  From day to day our journey may take us to work, school or church; to errands and tasks; to see family and friends.  We encounter happiness and sadness, frustration and accomplishment, chaos and calm.

A pledge card with a place to make your pledge and a proportional giving chart is available at the church or you may download one here.

Information on electronic giving may be found on our news page.

PLEDGE UPDATE:
As of Dec. 28 we have a total of $306,700
(99% of goal of $310,000)

123 total pledging units
(85% of goal of 145)

This year, St. Paul’s continues its journey through major construction and renovation as our building is renewed for future generations.  We are currently living out our rich and full parish life in our space downstairs.  We pass the peace, mingle and move from one service to the next in closer proximity with parishioners both familiar and new. 

Yet even during this our parish maintains its distinctive identity of liturgy, music and community.  Indeed, parish life continues to flourish at St. Paul’s.  We see growing attendance numbers, growth of the children’s program and the addition of the Lay Pastor for the Sunday Evening Community.  We build stronger ties of friendship in our neighborhood by sitting down together once a month to share a meal at The Fatted Calf Café.  We participate in adult formation classes, mutual discernment groups, Chalice prayer and the Daily Office.

To make all of this (and more) happen, we need you to be a caretaker of this sacred community where together we learn, grow, pray, sing and worship.  In its wholeness, stewardship can be defined as what we do with all that we are and with all that we have, all of the time.  A subset of this is the annual raising of funds for the operating budget, a necessary activity to support St. Paul’s daily life and also to sustain our program of worship and outreach.  

The Vestry and Wardens have set a realistic budget for 2012 of 145 pledges totaling $310,000.

Your pledge is needed.  With your support, St. Paul’s can continue to offer its unique gifts to parishioners, visitors, the neighborhood and to future generations.  We welcome financial gifts of all sizes year round, but it would be most helpful to have your response by our in-gathering of pledges and wine on November 13, 2011.

Please pray for St. Paul’s and your parish family, known and unknown, and ask God how you can help support the journey we take together in Christ.

Peace,

Adam Conley, Senior Warden
Jennifer Forman, Junior Warden

Pledging Support to St. Paul’s: Questions and Answers

Who pledges? Is pledging just for ‘official’ members of St. Paul’s?

Making a financial commitment to St. Paul’s through a pledge is something anyone can do. ‘Official’ on-the-books members, newcomers to the parish who are considering membership, and former members who have moved away but still want to support the parish. We invite you to make a pledge if you feel connected to St. Paul’s, grateful to God and to the parish for what you have experienced in your spiritual life, and desirous of supporting the parish as it moves forward.

Why pledge instead of just giving what I can, when I can?

Information on electronic giving may be found on our news page.

Pledging helps the Vestry and the parish plan for the upcoming year. Included in this are things like: salaries, the music program, utilities, building upkeep, parish programs and support of the diocese and its programs. Pledging also tends to knit people more intimately to the parish and to one another.

How much should I give to St. Paul’s? Am I being asked to tithe?

Our hope is for everyone to prayerfully consider the parish and to give accordingly. We know it has been a difficult economy this past year. So it may be helpful to think of giving in a proportional way based on income – 1%, 5% or 10% (what some people call tithing). We’ve included a percentage chart here. In order to fund our budget, we do need people to consider being generous in their giving. We hope that a person’s pledge will be a real and generous part of his or her personal budget, reflecting how St. Paul’s is a real and generous part of his or her spiritual life.

Some people say that pledging is connected to spiritual issues.
How does St. Paul’s see this?

In our experience, every decision about giving time, money or energy to someone or something - instead of holding on to it - makes it a spiritual decision. Making a financial commitment to St. Paul’s is part of this. For many, a commitment to the parish is directly related to gratitude – quite literally a thanksgiving to God for all the blessings of our lives and for the specific blessing of life in Christian community at St. Paul’s. Many who pledge say that the decision leads to a deeper intimacy with the parish, which ends up drawing them closer to God.

What does St. Paul’s include in its budget?

In 2012 we will continue to focus on those things that will a) help to grow the spirit and the numbers of members in the parish; b) remain faithful to our relationship with our diocese and support its local, regional and global programs; and c) cover basic operating expenses.

Will anyone know how much I pledge?

Only the parish treasurer, the Rector and perhaps a small number of people working on the recording of collected monies will have some idea of the amount of individual pledges. This information is considered absolutely confidential and it is not shared with others inside or outside the parish.

What happens if I make a pledge and then my financial situation changes?

We understand that circumstances can change unexpectedly. If you need to adjust your pledge in any way, simply contact the parish treasurer.

If I decide not to pledge, do I still need to turn in a pledge card?

We want to hear from you, regardless of your decision about pledging. Please mark the box on the pledge card that indicates that you will not be making a pledge, and return the card to St. Paul’s. Download a pledge card.

If you have any further questions, please let us know.