“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”Ephesians 3:20–21
Dear Friends in Christ,
In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul offers a doxology that never fails to stretch our imagination. He reminds us that God, “by the power at work within us,” is able to accomplish “abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine.” Notice where Paul says that power is at work: within us. God’s abundance is not something we simply watch from a distance. It moves through each of us who offers what we have so that God may be glorified “in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations.”
That is the heart of stewardship. When we give to Trinity, we are not just paying for a building or balancing a budget. We are stewards, each making room for God to do more than we can do on our own. Because of your commitment each year, Trinity has gathered for worship, welcomed newcomers, cared for neighbors in need, nurtured children and youth in faith, and stood alongside one another in joy and sorrow. Each of these ministries is a sign of God’s power at work within this community.
As we look toward 2027, we sense God inviting us at Trinity to step into a season of renewal as a church home ready to welcome all who come through our doors, including our next rector and other staff. Hopes like these depend on faithful stewards who are willing to trust God’s abundance and respond with generosity.
As you consider what you can give next year, we want to call your attention to a few key facts:
- Pledges make up 70% of our annual budget
- Our current pledge income is highly concentrated. Half our pledge income is coming from 15 generous stewards, many of whom are among our older parishioners. We hope and need to broaden that.
- A sustaining pledge, or the average pledge needed to sustain our mission, is $5000.
- Many pledges have remained at a constant figure in recent years. But we are facing significant inflation in our costs, especially in areas like utilities and medical insurance for our staff.
With this in mind, and with an eye to supporting our Vision as we approach our 150th anniversary, we have 3 goals:
- Increase total pledge income by 7% from 700K to 750K
- Increase the number of pledging families by 7%, from 140 to 150
- Having at least half of pledges, and hopefully much more than half, increase by over 5%
So if you are not pledging yet, we invite you to consider joining with a 2027 pledge.
And if you are pledging, we ask you to prayerfully consider increasing your pledge by over 5% in 2027.
We will celebrate our pledges together on Ingathering Sunday, November 15, when we make our commitments to God’s church at both the 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. services.
Paul did not end his prayer with a plan or a budget. He ended it with praise: “to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever.” For two thousand years, stewards have borne joyful witness that God is still accomplishing far more than we can ask or imagine, here at Trinity and through us in the world.
With gratitude and hope,
The Stewardship Committee
Trinity Church
