This Week at St. Paul's
Mother Michelle Walker
Dear St. Paul's Family,
October marks not only cooler weather (which we've clearly felt ... I turned the heat on this week at home) but also our annual stewardship campaign. And like everything else in this curious year, we're doing a few things a bit differently.
Utilizing the resources developed by the wider church, specifically by The Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS), we have updated our pledge form, are including weekly shared reflections on stewardship (from all over the country), have a fancy theme of Faith-Filled Generosity, and will be sharing both some videoed and written reflections on stewardship from our own St. Paul's family. (As a side note, TENS resources have been provided free to us by a Diocesan subscription.)
Our official stewardship kickoff is this Sunday. A letter from our Stewardship Chair - Margie Bender, with a pledge form, will be mailed to you late next week. Please look those over carefully and let us know if you have any questions. We hope to have our pledges gathered by Sunday November 15th in order to celebrate our bounty during Thanksgiving week.
We know that each of you give what you can to support your church home. THANK YOU! Thank you not only for pledging and giving but also for maintaining your contributions during the time our church doors were locked for those long months. With deep gratitude for your gifts, we ask that you look carefully at what you pledged this year via the Giving Statements that will also be shared next week. If your actual giving is less than your pledge amount please: 1) do your best to catch up by the end of the year, if possible, and 2) note whether your pledge for 2021 should be adjusted to reflect your current financial situation. What you pledge will constitute our budget for next year so pledge accuracy is important for church financial planning.
Our church family and community is about so much more than money. And yet, without your financial support we would be unable to be in ministry. In our recent Thursday morning study of Corinthians we were reminded that the Early Church members were encouraged to sell everything they owned and give it all to the church, living in community with each other. I think we can all be appreciative that the 21st century version of stewardship is a bit less harsh!
Friends, my prayers are with you, not only as we look at stewardship but as we live amidst a country preparing for a rather contentious election. Be kind to yourself and to others. Remember to put God first. Say your prayers and join us on Sundays (in-person or virtually) to be refreshed by the Spirit! Have a great day.
Blessings!
Mother Michelle
priest@stpaulslaporte.org | 219-575-0226
