2012 Stewardship Campaign: "Gifts of Gratitude"
Fall is here and you can feel the buzz around New York Avenue as we prepare for fall activities and the advent season. All of our mission activities, including Community Club, 7-2-9, and the Radcliffe Room, are getting geared up and doing amazing work. It also time to begin considering our 2012 financial commitments to our church.
The 2012 annual Stewardship campaign theme, “Gifts of Gratitude,” is intended to remind us all that we should take the opportunity to show our gratitude for the many blessings our church bestows on our community, on our congregation, and on each of us. We are blessed with so much to be thankful for, both inside and outside our church. Showing gratitude is as simple as securing the future of these blessings for others through financial commitments that fit our means.
A passage that speaks to giving for gratitude can be found in Paul's letter to the Corinthians. “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” Enriching the lives of others is an experience that brings us closer to God. The collective good that NYAPC delivers is far more than any one person can match. Your contributions give you the opportunity to support a congregation-wide effort that provides services for those who need it most and education about our Christian tradition.
In 2011, as a congregation we pledged $660,000, a remarkable achievement at $26,000 more than the pledges made the previous year. Our 2012 goal is an ambitious $700,000, 4% higher than the goal set last year. This higher pledge goal reflects a renewed commitment to closing the annual budget deficit we continue to carry. We also want to honor the members of our staff who operate, maintain, and manage church activities and physical plant, and who have foregone annual payment increases for a number of years.
The Gifts of Gratitude Stewardship campaign officially begins October 16th and concludes on November 13th with Dedication Sunday. On that date, we would like to announce that we have met and exceeded our pledge goal. Your support will set the example for others in our congregation to follow as they reflect on the importance of a financially stable church.
Please prayerfully consider your pledge by reviewing the 2012 Stewardship Campaign brochure and return your pledge form via email to Kitty Smith or use the printed card available from the church and place it in the offering plate or mail it to the church. Remember, it's never too late to pledge!
Thank you for all you do for NYAPC. Your efforts reach out and touch lives within our walls and far beyond.
Yours in Christ,
The Stewardship Committee
Michelle and Alex Mullineaux, Co-Chairs