A Story Of Generosity

Dear Friends in Christ,

 

Our parish treasurer, Ramee Gentry, makes this claim: Every budget tells a story.  I agree, and I want to expand her idea.  Every pledge campaign tells a story, too.

 

Our 2026 campaign tells a story of tremendous dedication and generosity.  Grace has what has been described as a “culture of commitment” (one of my favorite phrases), and we see that commitment financially.  People here put their money where their belief is.

 

It’s striking that both our total pledged dollars and our average pledge amount have continued to climb.  In a time of economic turbulence, this trend makes a profound statement about trust, loyalty, and faithfulness.

 

But here’s where the story gets complicated.  Even as the average pledge at Grace has risen, the number of pledging units has shrunk.  Fewer people are giving more money.  There is something wonderful in this pattern.  (See, above, commitment.) There is also something to give us pause.  Why don’t we have more pledging units?

 

Grace Church, as a parish, is not shrinking.  We contracted after COVID—like most American churches—but we have stabilized, and our Sunday attendance numbers are strong.  We see new families every week.

 

The question I hear before us—the turning point in our story—is this: How do we invite more people into commitment?  How do we help younger parishioners in the midst changing jobs and starting families?  How do we teach our teenagers about the centrality of giving?  How do we invite people new to faith into the life-changing practice of generosity?

 

We have not yet met our goal for 2026 pledges.  (We have received $737,000 out of the $835,000 pledge goal.). A large portion of that goal could be met if all of our 2025 pledgers filled out a pledge card.  All of it could be met if we invited in new givers.  The church would be better for such an invitation, in every way.

 

It’s not just budgets or pledge campaigns that have stories.  Your own budget does, too.  I encourage you to look at it.  See if you like the story it tells.  See if there’s something you want to teach.  See if there’s something you want to change.

 

Together, we tell a good story.  I believe we can tell an even better one.

 

Yours in Christ,

Anne+