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Beloved of God:
In our recent letter we asked you to think about “How St. Mark’s is a place of belonging?” And about “How St. Mark’s is a place of growth for you?” We wanted to hear how St. Mark’s is important to you.
Here are some of the answers we received just last week:
“The sermons at St. Mark’s are first-rate and give me a lot to think about each week which nourishes my mind and soul.”
“I found a community that I was looking for at St. Mark’s after looking around for a long time and I’ve never regretted my decision to put my roots down here in this place.”
“I come to St. Mark’s to be reminded of what is important in my life, of who I am and what I am called to become as a faithful Christian. Every Sunday, St. Mark’s helps me to overcome my spiritual amnesia.”
In the end, St. Mark’s exists for you and because of you. Without your presence, St. Mark’s would have no “why” for existing. Without your support, St. Mark’s would have no ability to exist and grow.
As we enter our fall Sowing the Seeds of Sanctuary Annual Giving 2025 effort, please consider how you and our whole faith community has sustained St. Mark’s this past year. We are so grateful for the ongoing and generous support of our members and friends. Enclosed you will find our Grow One Step chart. It shows our 2024 financial contributions broken down into individual steps on the staircase leading to a balanced St. Mark’s budget.
For years I made decisions about my giving without any understanding of the church budget or how my giving mattered. My eyes were opened when I received the Grow One Step chart from St. Mark’s. It gave me information I previously lacked and never considered to make a principled and informed pledge. Please take some time to think about your level of giving and your gratitude for the life and ministry of St. Mark’s.
All contributions work together to fund the life and ministry of this remarkable faith community. Your contribution is essential to the financial health, operational needs and growth of St. Mark’s. To the extent expenses have increased and the extent your financial circumstances allow, please consider whether you can increase your contribution this year by one step. If you are new to St. Mark’s, please consider a first pledge of financial support.
Last year, St. Mark’s operating budget, which supports the clergy, staff, facility, programming, outreach and a multitude of needs was supported by $606,000 of pledges from 143 households. We are thankful for every gift and every giver. If you would like to see a more detailed budget summary you can find that in our Annual Report online under our Meet our Vestry tab or request a copy from the office.
Next week you will receive a letter highlighting how your contribution will continue to sow the seeds of belonging at St. Mark’s and asking you to complete a pledge card for 2025. In the meantime, please think about how St. Mark’s is a place of belonging for you. How is St. Mark’s a place of growth? We ask you to begin prayerfully considering how you will support the work of God at St. Mark’s and whether you can Grow One Step.
In God’s Generous Love,
Peter Pierotti
Member of Stewardship Ministry
Fr. Christopher McLaren
Rector, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
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