Stewardship Campaign 2010

This marks the official kick-off of our 2010 Pledge Drive. It’s the time of year during which parishioners make an intentional pledge of financial support to the church, enabling the Vestry to budget for programs and costs – from salaries to landscaping to insurance to office supplies – that will allow the church to move forward for the coming year. In the past two years, our Stewardship Program has focused on the first two aspects of our vision statement: Invitation and Inclusion. Throughout the coming year, St. John’s will focus on the third aspect: Faith.

As you read this letter, we find ourselves in an economy that could perhaps optimistically be called “challenging.” For our families, our church community, our city, and the world beyond, the past twelve months have been trying times, affecting the best laid plans for work, education, charitable giving, travel and more.

In fact, one might argue that the best performing financial vehicle in your portfolio in the past year has been the money you put in the collection plate. In the next few weeks, you’ll see bright yellow and blue signs throughout the church reminding how your financial investment in the church’s work pays off, every day. Each of these programs has a multiplier effect, enriching the lives and the faith of the people they touch. 

And just as the Federal government has pledged funds to stimulate the economy, we on the Stewardship Committee hope to stimulate Faith, through intentional giving. In lieu of a kick-off event this year, we have enclosed a small sum of money in this envelope, with the hope that you will “Stimulate Faith All Around.” How you use it is entirely up to you – donate it to a food bank, buy lunch for a homeless person, pay someone’s toll at the Bay Bridge? We just hope the simple act of intentional giving will remind you of how far your investments can go at St. John’s. We’ll have a poster in the Narthex for you to share your “Faith Stimulus Acts” if you choose.

We are asking each parishioner to prayerfully consider a generous pledge of support to St. John’s. This year the Pledge Drive goal is $500,000. Equally important, we would like to move up our participation rate –to 75% of families active in the parish committing to a donation amount ahead of time, up from our current 63%. The amount you pledge isn’t as important as your willingness to commit to share your faith and treasure with us. That 75% goal has some practical ramifications as well –many granting agencies use high parish/member pledge participation rates as a factor in awarding the funds.

Pledge Sundays will be held November 8 and 15. At services on these days, you will be invited to bring the enclosed Pledge Card forward, both as a public display of your faith reinvestment and an opportunity to be thanked and blessed. Or, if you prefer, you may mail the Pledge Card to St. John’s by November 30, 2009, so that the Vestry can begin to shape the 2010 budget…enabling us to grow in God’s love and purpose.

Nancy Davis Kho

2009 Stewardship Committee