Transformational Stewardship

The birth of Christ gives birth to love, which gives birth to caring for all that God has created. Experience love that’s too big for just a fall campaign. It’s “living giving” all year round, so it changes everything around us - even us! And it welcomes everyone who is drawn to us so we can embrace their wonder.

Why do we keep hearing about “Embracing the Wonder?”
When we built the Sanctuary, a great many people worked together to create our strategic plan for growth. Out of that work came a vision and mission. Our vision is: “A place to be fully alive.” Our mission is: “Experience Christ’s love by Embracing the Wonder in All through prayer, study, service and play.” It’s a brief way to describe the variety of awesome experiences that people have as part of our Christ’s Church family. It’s also a simple phrase that’s an easy way for new people to get to know us as we do more to let people know we’re here. And it’s a fine way to welcome them into our family.

How do we “Embrace the Wonder” in all the new people who come when they find out we’re here? Let them experience Christ’s love by offering a warm welcome and receiving them as if they were Christ.

And what does “Embracing the Wonder” have to do with stewardship? Our mission gives us instructions on how to care for (steward) the people and world around us. That through prayer, study, service and play, we can Embrace the Wonder in All and experience Christ’s love. God only asks that we return that love to change the hearts and minds of the whole world—including our own! We can return that love through giving our time, talent and treasure. Each time we give, there’s more love, and things change.

How come we haven’t received pledge cards this year? How will people know what to give if they haven’t filled out a pledge card?
At the Annual Parish Meeting on Sunday, January 24, you will hear the details of year-round giving. In the meantime, please continue to pay your pledge. And if you feel called to add to it, that would be wonderful. It’s been a difficult year for many, and amazingly good for some, so whatever you can do to “give until it feels good” will help us improve our financial health.

Aren’t pledges necessary so we can determine our budget for 2010?
Having pledges does provide indications for the level of giving. However, this year, you’ll be asked to make your giving commitment after seeing what’s called a “mission-shaped budget.” It’s built not only on our estimated operating costs, but also on what we as a parish are being called by God to accomplish this next year. Once you have that information, you’ll be given time to prayerfully discern how you’re called to contribute your time, talent and treasure in 2010. Then you’ll be asked to turn in a card that will give the vestry the information it needs to finalize the budget.

Stewardship activities between now and the Annual Parish Meeting

• Now - January 5: Experience The Twelve Days of Christmas
• January 6 - 24: Share your experiences from The Twelve Days of Christmas.
• January 24: Attend the Annual Parish Meeting. Begin year-'round stewardship.

 

Sunday Services:

  •8:00 AM Communion
  •10:30 AM Festive Eucharist

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