God sets a table in the wilderness: Annual Pledge Drive It is time to embark on our annual journey as a community to discern our individual commitments of time, talent, and treasure for 2019. Will you join us? The theme for this year s annual pledge drive is God sets a table in the wilderness. It comes from a time when the Israelites were ready to give up on God: They spoke against God; they said, Can God really spread a table in the wilderness? (Psalm 78:19). It is one of the tenets of our faith that God does indeed provide, even to abundance, even in the wilderness. Together, we will explore what it means to each of us that God sets a table in the wilderness, what we bring to God s table, and how we are called to share the abundance with which we have been blessed. We look forward to taking this journey together. What to expect from this year s pledge drive Inspiring Speakers: New parishioners, long-standing parishioners, and those in between have graciously offered to share a part of their faith story during each service. Our speakers are always a highlight of the pledge drive. Facts and Figures: The Stewardship Ministry will be sharing with you the real cost of just keeping our doors open and of making our dreams for mission real.
Questions for Reflection: Each week, the Stewardship Ministry will pose a different question for you to reflect on during the week. We invite you to use these questions as an opportunity to think about why you are here, what you have received, and what you will contribute. Our focus is joy and gratitude. Please leave your guilt at home! This week's Stewardship facts: Pledges account for the majority of St. Andrew's revenue and income - in 2018, 146 households pledged a total of $461,539. This means that pledges made up almost 70 percent of our total operating revenue of $672,664. This week's invitation: A pledge is in some ways a response to a call - one that we repeat every week as we leave God's table to "go forth to love and serve". This week, we invite you to consider: What brought you to this table?
An Invitation to Respond: Each week, we will invite you to bring a response to share with the parish in a medium of your choice. The answers to each question will be displayed as a collage in the Undercroft, as we create our table of abundance. The display will become increasingly rich over the next 6 weeks. Opportunities to Share Your Time and Talents: We invite you to discern where to contribute your gifts of time and talent. We will share our ministries general and specific needs, invite you to consider where you might want to serve, and connect you with the ministry leader. A Pledge Card: Pledge cards will be mailed the week after Thanksgiving. We are asking that you wait until you have completed the journey before you make your pledge. We believe that the exercises in discernment will help guide you in a deeper reflection about what you can offer. We will invite you to bring your pledge card for blessing on Sunday, December 9. Celebration: The Stewardship Ministry will host a celebratory coffee hour at the close of the pledge drive, on Sunday, December 9.