October 2022 Vineyard - Special Stewardship Edition

The
Vineyard Press
ST. MARK’S LUTHERAN CHURCH
SPECIAL STEWARDSHIP EDITION
OCTOBER 2022
Why we give
From the very beginning, St. Mark’s has
been a church committed to “Sharing
Christ’s Abundant Love.” Our top five
priorities, set in motion in 2016, reflect
this and continue to guide us forward: in
our communications and relationships,
in our commitments to our youth and
families, our community, and
the poor and marginalized.
During this special stewardship time
of year, we pause for a moment to
consider where we are and where we
want to go. And we reflect on what it
will take to get there. We have a vision
for how we want our church to be, and
the stewardship campaign asks each of us
to consider our part in making this vision a
reality.
God calls us to give
In scripture, Jesus calls us to love God and
to love neighbor as self. God’s love isn’t a
noun; it’s a verb. We come together and are
sent out to share that love joyfully.
Our financial gifts, our weekly offerings,
our pledges . . . they answer the call God
makes of us. Our gifts respond to the needs
facing our community and neighbors. They
serve our children, youth, and families.
They continue the legacy of those who have
gone before us. Our gifts are the tools that
put love into action.
Our church needs us
For starters, we need a building to call home, a base from
which to operate. That means paying the mortgage, the utility
bills, and the upkeep. But St. Mark’s is so much more than a
building! It’s God’s church. We are God’s community, centered
and led by love.
While our work starts with being responsible for our building,
it expands exponentially as we serve each other and our
neighbors. But none of this happens in a vacuum. It takes
our volunteering, our skills, and our dollars to make ministry
happen. That is our commitment: We choose to make mission
and ministry possible by giving our time, talents, and treasures.
Our community needs us
The hurting, the lost, the unheard, the unengaged, the
marginalized . . . they all are looking for a community to belong.
St. Mark’s is that place.
“For where your
treasure is,
there will your heart
be also.”
—Matthew 6:21
We provide a space for everyone—no
exceptions—to walk through our doors
and hear, “God welcomes you, celebrates
you, affirms you, and loves you.”
Our neighbors need our love and care.
We are continually discerning and finding
ways to collaborate with local mission
partners to serve the poor and marginalized. 365 days a year,
we are making a difference.
We all benefit!
Giving isn’t just one way. When we give, we not only help
others, but each of us benefits as well. We become part of our
church story. We become part of the love we are sharing in the
world. We become energized and filled will joy because we are
sharing the abundant love and life of Jesus Christ!
“On the day I became a Lutheran, I was
given a box of offering envelopes with my
name on it. Now I knew I belonged! Because,
when you belong, you share your gifts. I
started pledging as a promise that I would
share my faith by sharing my time, talent,
and treasure. It wasn’t a contract; it was a
faith promise. It gives me great joy to know I
have been able to keep my faith promises to
all to my church homes.”—Pastor Marnie
What part of
giving fills you
with joy?

Impact of your giving
One of the great joys of giving is seeing the impact our gifts make. A child hears God loves
them. A homeless person gets fed. A worship service re-connects us with each other and
God. A burdened soul finds hope in the music. A Bible study brings new understanding. A
neighbor moves into a new home. A student thrives with tutoring.
These are the impacts we make possible when we share our gifts, This is how we make a
real difference in real people’s lives!
• For our youth to continue to have strong programs,
we need you to volunteer your time on Wednesdays and Sundays.
• For our worship to continue to help others experience Christ,
we need you to give your talents to enhance the service.
• For our mission to continue to serve our community,
we need your treasures.
Read and see how your time, talents, and treasures make an impact.
Read and see how your pledges and offerings make a difference!

“Giving is not just about making a donation. It is about making a difference.”
—Kathy Calvin, former President and Chief Executive Officer of the United Nations Foundation

Your giving makes ministry happen!
Your gifts make St. Mark’s the church we want it to be.
Real dollars make a real difference!
To put your pledge into perspective, consider some of the ways your pledge dollars can be put to use.
WORSHIP
&
MUSIC
CHURCH
LIFE
Your pledge of $50/month
can make it possible to offer
Adult Education Hour
Your pledge of $350/month can
pay for our worship supplies
Your pledge of $200/month can
pay for our festival musicians
OUTREACH
Your pledge of $400/month
can cover the utility expenses
for ESSE’s use of our building
FACILITIES
Your pledge of
$500/month can
cover our phone
expenses
Your pledge of
$150/month can
pay for our office
supplies
Your pledge of
$100/month can
cover our Rally Day
expenses
Your pledge of
$200/month can
pay for our Sunday
School expenses
YOUTH
&
FAMILIES
Where do we go from here?
The answer is in your pledge.
During the “Coming Together in Joyful Giving” stewardship
campaign, we’ve been hearing St. Mark’s story, seeing how
we’re connected to each other and our community. Now it’s
time to write the next chapter. Where do we go from here?
The answer to that question is in your pledge. While we have
an abundance of imagination and potential, our financial
resources determine the kind of church we will be. As
dreamers, we want St. Mark’s to keep growing, to see our
programs flourish, our music groups expand, our educational
experiences grow in impact. We want to be leaders in our
community, to contribute to the larger ELCA organization.
Yet the reality is, if we want more or expect more from our
church, we need to be willing to provide the support to make it
happen.
Where do you see yourself in the next chapter of our story?
Pre-budget presentation
Sat, Oct 15 and Sun, Oct 16
offered after each service
We’re doing something we’ve never
done before! Council and Stewardship
Team are inviting you to take a first look
at next year’s proposed budget.
• What are the needs?
• What are the hopes?
You’ll get a preview of how our pledges
will determine how we operate in 2023
and important information to consider
as you make your own pledge decision.
Plan to stay after the service on either
Saturday, Oct 15 or Sunday, Oct 16 for
this unique Pre-Budget presentation.
(Sunday presentation will also be available via
Zoom. See Friday email for link.)
Watch for your 2023 pledge materials to arrive the week of Oct 17th!
Pledge cards will be collected Oct 22/23 and Oct 29/30.