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Dear St. Paul's,
On Sunday, November 1, when we celebrate the Feast of All Saints, we will also celebrate the commitment we have to one another as members of a local parish community to share our earthly goods to do the work God has given us to do in worship, service, and proclamation.
The day when a parish invites financial commitments, sometimes called “pledge Sunday” or “commitment Sunday,” is more about focusing prayerful attention on the parish’s ministry and the members’ practice of generosity than it is about an actual deadline. After all, it would be more than unusual for any church to refuse an early or late pledge card.
Nonetheless, we designate one Sunday for pledging because presenting pledge cards at the altar is a powerful sign of the ways in which our personal spiritual disciplines of prayer and generosity, being offered to God, strengthen those around us. Our private offerings become public blessings. All Saints’ Day is a perfect occasion to give thanks to God for this dynamic, and to stand in awe of all the ways God takes our individual commitments—of prayer and practice, worship and study, time and money—and turns them back to the world to unite us one to another.
Every year on All Saints’ Day, the Church throughout the world stands in awe of the ways in which we are united, the living and the dead together, in a mystical communion where we are encouraged, loved, and blessed by many we can name and many more known only to God. So it is with our private financial offerings to our common ministry: lovingly received, blessed, and poured out for the world.
– Will
The Rev. William Peyton
| | Sunday, October 25, at St. Paul's | | Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost | |
8 a.m. – Holy Eucharist in the Chapel
9 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. – Nursery Care (infants through pre-K)
9 a.m. – Wee Music Time (3-5-year-olds - parish hall)
10 a.m. – Holy Eucharist with Parish Choir (also accessible via Zoom)
11:15 a.m. – Common Hour for Formation, Fellowship, and Service (parish hall)
- Adults: Being Faithful Citizens
- Youth: Exploring the Sacraments (middle and high school)
- Children: The Greatest Commandment (Matthew 22:34-46) – Building Galaxy Jars
(grades K-2 and grades 3+)
6:30 p.m. – Evening Worship, followed by food and fellowship
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Monday, October 26 - Friday, October 30, 8 a.m. – Weekday Virtual Morning Prayer
Monday, October 26, 4 p.m. – Virtual Lectionary Discussion Group
Monday, October 26, 6:30 p.m. – IMPACT's Community Issues Assembly at Church of the Incarnation (details below)
Monday, October 26, 8 p.m. – Compline (chancel)
Tuesday, October 27, 12:15 p.m. – Holy Eucharist (chapel)
Tuesday, October 27, 7 p.m. – 20s & 30s Trivia Night at Selvedge Brewing (see below)
Wednesday, October 28 – Thank God It's Wednesday!
- 4:15 p.m. – Junior Choir Rehearsal (grades 3-8)
- 4:45 p.m. – Primary Choir Rehearsal (grades K-2)
- 4:45 p.m. – Drop-in Playdate (infants through pre-K with their caregivers)
- 5:30 p.m. – Evening Prayer (chapel)
- 6:00 p.m. – Pumpkins & Pizza (details below)
- 7:00 p.m. – Parish Choir Rehearsal (parish hall)
Thursday, October 29, 7:30 a.m. – Drop-in Bible Study
Friday, October 30, 7 p.m. – American Guild of Organists Hymn Festival (details below)
Saturday, October 31, 2 p.m. – Memorial Celebration for John Gergen at Westminster-Canterbury
Sunday, November 1 – All Saints' Sunday with a Blessing of the Pledges (worship at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., and 6:30 p.m.)
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Stewardship 2027: Blessed with God's constant presence | |
Parishioners and friends of St. Paul's should have received pledge packets about our 2027 annual giving campaign last week. Below are some frequently asked questions about pledging:
Who should make a pledge?
All Christians are called to give and to share, inside and outside the Church. If the worship life and ministries of this parish are part of your practice of faith, it’s appropriate to contribute to the financial support of the life and ministries we share.
How do I know how much to pledge?
A right-size pledge is one you can offer reverently and joyfully. It’s hard to be reverent with a pledge that’s too small, and hard to be joyful about a pledge that’s too big.
What if my pledge is larger or smaller than the norm?
Your pledge represents the relationship between your life and faith and the ministries of this church. The dollar amount you choose has nothing to do with the parish budget or anyone else’s pledge. Only you know whether your pledge is a generous gift in the context of your own private, individual circumstances. That’s why we take confidentiality about pledge numbers so seriously, and why we never report averages. Below is a table of 2026 pledges. Only the giver knows whether a pledge represents a significant portion of household budget or income.
Dollar range / Number of 2026 pledges in range
$12,000 and up / 10
$6,000 - $11,999 / 31
$3,000 - $5,999 / 59
$1,500 - $2,999 / 53
$750 - $1,499 / 46
less than $750 / 56
$100 - $25,000 (all) / 255 (total)
How can I pay my pledge?
In absolutely any way that works for you. Some people give weekly or monthly, while others give irregularly or in a lump sum at the beginning or end of the year. You can make gifts by cash, check, or credit card, by automatic bank draft, by PayPal or Venmo, or by transferring appreciated stocks or other assets.
What happens if my circumstances change before I fulfill my pledge?
Nothing. A pledge is a statement of intention, not a debt. Many parishioners overpay their pledges each year, while a few end up giving less than they intended. It’s helpful, but not necessary, to let us know if you foresee a shortfall or wish to change the amount of your pledge at any time.
Can I make my 2027 pledge online?
Yes! You can make your pledge here.
| A special pledge blessing will take place at the 10 a.m. service on All Saints' Sunday, November 1, when all are invited to offer their pledge cards in worship. | | |
Pumpkins & Pizza – Next Wednesday, October 28, parishioners, friends, and neighbors are invited to an evening of prayer, pumpkins, and pizza! Immediately following our intergenerational, family-friendly 5:30 p.m. service of evening prayer in the chapel, all are invited to stay for St. Paul's annual pumpkin-decorating and pizza party. BYOP (bring your own pumpkin) – we’ll provide the carving tools, along with stickers and paint for our younger artists. Halloween costumes are highly encouraged and awards will be given for the best single and group costumes. So come dressed to impress or get some laughs or both!
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Chompline is Coming! – The University Fellowship (TUF) is hosting our second annual Chompline event on Sunday, November 15, beginning with a chili cookoff at 5:30 p.m. followed by a service of choral compline (a beautiful, contemplative, candlelit service led by a small ensemble featuring St. Paul's Choral Scholars). All parishioners are encouraged to enter a pot of their favorite chili for a chance to win honor, bragging rights, and the esteemed “golden ladle.” Sign up here! There's no cost to attend, but we'll be collecting donations to support students in need through the Cavalier Food Pantry.
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St. Paul's Parish Cookbook – St. Paul’s kids are helping to illustrate a parish cookbook as their fall service project and plan to make it available for purchase within the parish, with all proceeds going towards a ministry of their choosing. Please consider submitting a recipe to the cookbook! All recipes are welcome: family favorites, holiday traditions, potluck staples, everyday meals, beloved desserts, and anything else that has a story to tell. Learn more about the project here, and submit your recipes here. For more information, contact Suzannah Spaar srspaar@gmail.com.
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20s & 30s Trivia Night – Parishioners, newcomers, and friends in their 20s and 30s are invited to Selvedge Brewing (2415 Ivy Road) for Trivia with Olivia next Tuesday, October 27, from 7 - 9 p.m. for a relaxed evening of good food and drink, great company, and fun trivia! Please contact the Rev. Caroline Carolin at caroline.carolin@spmcuva.org for more details.
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All Saints' Prayers – Next Sunday, November 1, we’ll lift up in prayer parishioners and loved ones who have died since last All Saints’ Day. Anyone who has been in the weekly prayers for the dead will be automatically included; to add other names, contact Office Manager Alice Fitch (alice.fitch@spmcuva.org or 434-295-2156) by next Monday, October 26. To remember someone who died prior to last All Saints’, you are invited to contribute to memorial flowers for any Sunday (contact the church office for more information).
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Election Day Prayers – On Tuesday, November 3, our regular 12:15 p.m. Eucharist will include special prayers for the nation as we remember the sacred responsibility of elected officials and voters to seek justice and peace for all people.
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IMPACT Community Issues Assembly – Parishioners, friends, and neighbors are encouraged to participate in IMPACT's Community Issues Assembly next Monday, October 26, from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at Church of the Incarnation (1465 Incarnation Drive).
St. Paul's is a founding member of IMPACT, a faith-based justice ministry coalition of thirty-two local congregations with a proven track record of effecting positive change for the poor and marginalized in the Charlottesville area.
This assembly is the culmination of the house meetings that occurred within our parish and other local congregations to discuss community justice issues that we are facing in the Charlottesville area. Whether or not you were able to join a house meeting this year, please do not miss the opportunity to attend this assembly and draw inspiration from testimonies and stories from neighbors yearning for a more just Charlottesville and Albemarle County.
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Hymn Festival – All are welcome and invited to a Hymn Festival at St. Paul's, organized by the Charlottesville/Albemarle Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, on Friday, October 30, at 7 p.m. Come if you like to sing or just love hymns!
The program spans the Christian year and major church seasons, including many favorites. A few newer hymns/tunes will be featured as well. Noted composer, hymn authority, and retired Virginia Theological Seminary church music professor William Bradley Roberts will serve as the evening’s master of ceremonies. Deke Polifka and Gabriel Rhys Simerson, Director of Music at St. Paul's, Ivy, will lead the hymns from our beautiful E. M. Skinner pipe organ.
The goal of the evening is to raise our voices in song, and we hope you’ll join us! A freewill offering will be collected to support the Scholarship Fund of the Chapter.
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Vestry Recommendations – The Vestry Nominating Committee is seeking three parish leaders to stand for election to the Vestry in 2027 for four-year terms. The Vestry is made up of a diverse group of twelve parishioners who are charged with responsibility for the temporal affairs of the church, while participating actively and prayerfully in the worship and fellowship of the parish community. Vestry members, according to diocesan canons and parish policy, must be baptized members of St. Paul's, receiving communion, contributing financially, and willing to serve a four-year term and attend a Vestry retreat. For questions or to suggest yourself or someone else to the Vestry nominating committee, please contact Senior Warden Sophie Gibson at sfmgibson@gmail.com. Suggestions from the congregation will be accepted through Sunday, November 1.
| | Holding each other's joys, sorrows, and concerns before God in prayer is a spiritual practice that characterizes our life together at St. Paul's. In our worship services we pray each other's prayers together. Outside of our time together many parishioners make it part of their daily lives to pray the prayers of the parish community. You are invited to participate in your own way. | |
Thanks be to God
for all the blessings of our lives, and for the faith, fellowship, and ministries of this parish community.
for the faithful generosity of the St. Paul’s parishioners and friends who support our life and ministries.
Your prayers are requested
by members and friends of St. Paul’s for David, Pierce, Bob, Helen, John & Virginia Ritchie, Marianne Story, Kathy & Brett Blizzard, C.W. & Bill, Emily Merkel, David Lee, N., Chuck, Mo Lowdon, Logan Strzepek, Joe Piorkowski, Jean, Whit Worman, Jimmy White, Hunter, Virgil Corbin, Barbara & Paul Estes, Fouad Fadil, Sarah Donaldson, Lynne, Elizabeth, Brant Hopper, Betsy, Dianne Sprouse Mills, Ann, Ed & Lila, Aimee & Jeff, Rhonda Corbin, Charlotte, Ken Moulton, Philip Pretzinger, Troost Parker, Winston & Marisa, Mark C., Mehmet Argon, John, Will Kennedy, Laura Duran Martinez, George Gilliam, Katherine & Thomas, David, Sally, Terence, Lee Allen, Jason Corbin, Jessreal, Helen Harris, Lucille Fillingame, Ruth and Adrian Harvey, the Shah family, Marjorie W., Tim Thomas, Nancy O'Brien, Adam Marrs, Ashley Marrs, Beth G., Lydia Engelhardt, Suzanne, Tony Piacentino, Joan Werner, C.H., Greg Alexander, Jeanette, Declan, Anna, Annie, Steve, Nancy Gilman, David Willey, Winnie, Nancy Mayer, Joe, Anne, Fred, Betty, Chrissie Crosby, Linda A, Lawrence, Sarah Anne Owens Sloman, Pope Leo, Beverly.
for St. Paul's this Pentecost season, that by the promised gift of the Holy Spirit we may be empowered to proclaim the Gospel with grace and power in word and deed.
for Charlottesville and the University of Virginia, and for all our neighbors, including students, staff, faculty, and administrators.
for the work of the 232nd Annual Convention of the Diocese of Virginia, to take place November 5-7; and for our lay delegates, Jane Butler and Taro Matsuno, and our student delegate, Henry Wang.
for our work with IMPACT, which unites us with neighbors of many faiths and backgrounds to advocate for a more just community.
for St. Aidan’s Church, Alexandria; St. Martin’s, Richmond; and St. Peter’s, New Kent, according to the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer.
for the Church of the Province of Central Africa, according to the Anglican Cycle of Prayer.
for the nation and the world, for an end to violence, hunger, injustice, and oppression.
We commend to God’s never-failing care
the faithful departed throughout the world, and all those known to God alone.
all those we love but see no more, including Shane Cron (Heather Warren's brother-in-law).
Libba Dudley, Elizabeth Leininger, and Marisa Millard, in whose loving memory this Sunday's flowers are given.
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