Wednesday after the 18th Sunday after Pentecost
October 12, 2022
My Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Like most churches, St. Matthew’s has changed dramatically since the start of the pandemic. After a long period of virtual-only worship, we have hybrid models for worshipping, fellowshipping, and studying together. Our Sunday services are open to the public to gather in-person while we still provide video worship online via Facebook. Some things are starting to “feel normal” again, but some things are not. We are beginning to hold more and more in-person events outside of worship, but with fewer in attendance than three years ago. Some may be concerned that the church is not as full as it used to be.
But we are not pessimists. Christians are people of hope, not fear! Instead of threats, I see opportunities for vibrant new ministry at St. Matthew’s. But to get there, we need help charting the path. In 2023, the Vestry and I are planning to launch a new Strategic Visioning Process that will help us set a course for the next 3-5 years. We will look back to study our past, look around to evaluate our present, and look ahead to plan for our future. Along the way, we will need to prune away some old ways of doing things and plant seeds that grow and bear new fruit. This work will be both challenging and rewarding, and I am asking you to be a part of it.
Above and below, you will find links to the 2023 Pledge form. Completing this form is a first step you can take to commit to St. Matthew’s in 2023 and our strategic visioning process. In this form, we ask about your time, talent, and energy because I genuinely care about all the ways you want to participate in the life, mission, and ministry of our church. Next, when it comes to your financial pledge, we ask you to indicate whether the amounts you list are annual, monthly, or weekly. To learn more about each of the church's funds and how to direct your pledged giving, read our 2023 Giving Brochure.
For your convenience, we have also mailed this letter, a paper pledge, your 2022 3rd Quarter Giving Statements (January 1 – September 30) to the address we have on file. As you plan for next year, please consider increasing your support to our church’s operating budget and striving for the biblical standard of the tithe (i.e., giving 10% of your income).
Paper copies of 2023 Pledges may be returned to the church by mail or drop off. Pledges may also be completed online at: https://tinyurl.com/StMattSav2023. We politely request that you submit all pledge forms by Sunday, November 13, 2022, when we will bless all pledges and give thanks for the campaign. Finally, please join us for worship every Sunday either in-person or virtually on Facebook Live (www.Facebook.com/StMattSav) at 9:30 AM!
Your Servants in Christ,
The Rev. Guillermo A. Arboleda & St. Matthew's Vestry