Consider this an invitation
Dear First Pres SLO Family,
Grace and peace to you in the name of the one who gave everything for us, and who asks us to follow his lead.
What a week it has been!
We said goodbye to a dear saint on Saturday—it was a joy-filled service of remembrance and hope. On Sunday we welcomed a group of new members, and were reminded that God is still working in us and through us to build community and grow our vision for ministry.
And then there was the music. We celebrated the work of Scott Glysson and both the voice and bell choirs—the sounds spilled out into the street as we sang our praises in worship. It was beautiful.
I say all of that because our whole church was on display this week—so many of our ministries are bearing fruit, and it was exciting to be a part of it.
It’s a perfect time for a gentle reminder of how important your giving is to the work we do together. We’re coming up on the mid-point of the year, and our giving is running behind our costs for ministry and good stewardship of our facility. If you’ve made a pledge for this year, let me invite you to make sure it’s up-to-date. I’ll dare to go even further than that: if you made a pledge for this year, join me in increasing it by 10 or 15%.
If you haven’t made a pledge for this year, I’m happy to invite you to do so. It’s an important part of the life of discipleship when it’s lived out in community. It’s also an opportunity to share in the joy of Sundays like the one we just had. We’re attaching a link to a pledge form, just in case you don’t have one!
The church of Jesus Christ isn’t about money, but it would be foolish to think that money doesn’t matter. The work we do, the people we employ, the ministries we support—all of that requires a group of faithful, committed people to provide financial support. I wouldn’t be truthful if I didn’t say that to you.
As we move into summer it may seem like things have slowed down, but nothing could be further from the truth. Some programs may take a break, but we’re working hard to create new ministries and to grow the ones we already have in anticipation of the start of a new church year this fall.
Consider this an invitation to play a bigger part in these exciting plans.
Giving is a very personal thing, but that doesn’t mean we avoid the conversation. I encourage you to prayerfully consider this important part of your life at First Pres. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask me or Jen or one of the elders about what we’re doing. Our commitment is to make the best and most careful use of your support, even as we leap out in faith and in new areas of service.
Blessings to you and yours as you pray about this important commitment!
Pastor John