Stewardship Campaign Goal

Anna Norville, Introduces our Stewardship Campaign Goal of $595K!

Read more about this year’s

campaign goals presented at the October 1st outdoor service with pet blessing…

My name is Anna Norville, and I am a member of the 2023-2024 Stewardship Committee here at St. Thomas. I attend the 10:30 service regularly.

You may have seen the news in the church newsletter: A few weeks ago on August 27th at Rally Day, more than 181 of us signed up to participate in one or more activities here at the church. That is amazing! Thank you for participating in the life and ministries of St. Thomas. It means so much! From the alter guild to Built to Move, to our music ministry, to youth ministries, to our welcome and outreach efforts, you signed up and signaled your unabashed love for and dedication to St. Thomas, and we’re so grateful for that!

Each of our ministries is made possible because of the church budget and the financial freedom that budget provides our Vestry and Father Korey to be able to plan fantastic activities for the church year. This year, our budget goal is $595,000. In the next week, you will receive a letter and pledge card from St. Thomas in the mail, and I am here to invite you to please prayerfully complete the card and return it to the church, whether by mail or by putting it in the offering plate.

Traditionally, only about 50% of households in this church have returned their pledge cards and made a formal pledge commitment, and we have had to rely on a special challenge ask at the end of Stewardship Season in order to achieve our fundraising goal. While we are grateful to the generous donors who issue that matching gift opportunity, we recognize that to be a financially healthy institution, we don’t want to rely on a last-minute challenge gift or only a few individuals to meet our budgeted needs. We have experienced tremendous growth this year as a church community, with many new faces. As the church grows, and as you better understand more of our need to plan and budget, we hope that the percentage of households making a pledge commitment also will grow. Just as you signed up on Rally Day to participate in the various ministries at the church with your time and talent, I am asking you today to please sign up and make a pledge commitment to support the church financially with your treasure this year. We can’t operate without financial support, and Father Korey and the Vestry cannot plan for a year of great activity without knowing what funds will be available to them for the year.

We recognize that some people may be struggling financially, and we know that each of us must live within our own means. Some of you may not feel confident making a pledge commitment now, and we understand that. And if that’s the case, I ask that you still return your pledge commitment card and signal that now is not the time for you to give.

You heard that right—even if you can’t or don’t want to make a financial pledge commitment, I am asking you to still return your pledge card. The Stewardship Committee asks this because the church wants to know that you have prayerfully considered what you’re able to do and that the card isn’t just lost in a pile of mail someplace in your house or even in the trash. We’re asking you to please consider where St. Thomas is among your priorities and in your household budget. But know that gifts and pledges of all sizes really do make an impact.

Our Stewardship theme this year is Love, Give, Grow. A few weeks ago, I wrote a piece that referenced Jesus feeding the crowd of 5,000 that appeared in our weekly church

newsletter. When Jesus fed the 5,000 people with only five loaves of bread and two fish, he showed us how God’s love can multiply the impact of our generosity. When you give, your pledges and gifts are multiplied and become part of the unbounded grace of God at work in this world. I invite you to please consider supporting St. Thomas financially with a pledge commitment this stewardship season.

Thank you very much and may God bless you.