If you missed it - Here is Mother's Meghan's Stewardship letter to the congregation.  You should have received it in the mail. 

This Sunday we will sing Lacey's Brown's song, Heal our Home, which inspired the theme- We Build Our Home: Creating a Place for Healing & Renewal. 

Dear Ones of St. C’s, 

I am truly troubled by the headlines most days.  Yes, you could probably say something along those lines at any point in history, but what troubles me in this moment of history are the way the headlines are often about new ways to dehumanize our neighbor and divide us from each other.  It is so disheartening and troubling.  Why do I bring this up in a stewardship letter to you all?  Because, I want to highlight the importance of what we are doing at St. Columba’s.  It is always important to be Christ’s hands and feet in this world.  It is always critical work to connect to God and to take care of one another.  But, I want to argue, that in this moment in US history this work that we do as church is crucial to how we hold onto our humanity, love our neighbor, and imagine a world where all are welcomed, loved, accepted, and forgiven.

In my leadership here I do everything in my power to keep this message of division, scapegoating, hate, and fear of our neighbor from taking a foothold at St. Columba’s. The messages all around us are loud and clear and it is easy to get pulled into it.  But together in this place, we stand strong together.  Here at St. Columba’s we come together and we continually and constantly remind each other of our call as Christians - to love God and love our neighbor as our ourselves. Our purpose here together is as simple and as difficult as this.

We don’t just remind each other with words, do we?  We welcome the one who is released from prison, the refugee, the stranger, and the hungry into our building and on our grounds.  We bring each other meals, watch each other’s kids, celebrate each other’s successes, and support each other when heartache comes our way.  We speak against injustice in our world, we fight the impacts of patriarchy and white supremacy in our very selves, and we work to shed our biases so that we can truly be a church that sees the value of all people.  See, here, we work to create the world that we believe is possible.  We need to keep this imagination alive in ourselves, in our community, and in our faith. And I want to thank you all for journeying with me as we navigate this place and time.  

The Kingdom of God grows like a mustard seed, like an invasive plant, it is everywhere.  It is not only here at St. Columba’s.  It is in our prisons, our detention centers, our work places, and in our homes. But God sends our hands and feet in this world to reflect back their love and compassion.  God is asking us to believe in this new way that Jesus set before us.  This way of love that is more powerful than death.  At the Christmas Eve service last year, I preached that together and connected we are more powerful than we will ever be divided and hurting.  And I believe this with my whole being.  And when we come to St. Columba’s and gather together, the blinders fall away so we can feel the Kingdom of God start to grow under our feet and we carry it with us out into the world.  

In order for us to be a self-sustaining community we need to receive (an estimate of) $266,000 in pledges in 2025.  I am hoping that this year we can get at least 55 households to pledge.  That would mean that we need an average pledge of $4,800 per household.  Here is the beautiful thing about church and God’s economy: here, unlike anywhere else in our lives, we get to participate in wealth distribution at its best.  If you cannot give that much, you lose nothing and you receive the full benefits of this community. This is because, here, we don’t see ourselves as simply individuals–but instead, as the body of Christ, every part is needed and valued to make the whole. We understand having a diversity of economic backgrounds is a reflection of our wide circle of belonging.  We have those who give less than $4,800 and those who are able to give more.  Check out the 2025 budget trifold to see the wonderful wealth distribution at St. C’s. 

I hope that if you have found yourself building a spiritual home here and participating in the healing and renewal in this place that that you will choose to be a part of what we are doing here by turning in a pledge card.  A pledge is a financial commitment to this place.  It is a recognition you want to be a part of this place thriving in the future.

I truly believe that giving financially to this place is a way that we share our wealth with one another.  We couldn’t do any of this work with just our highest pledge or just our lowest pledge.  It is only when we all come together that St. C’s becomes a beloved community of God.  Every household that says yes to supporting this place enriches us, works to build a spiritual home, and teaches us something new about learning to live together. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for all that you bring and for being a part of St. C’s. We–literally–would not be the same without you.

Our Stewardship Theme this year is - We Build Our Home: Creating a Place for Healing & Renewal.  This theme is inspired by Lacey Brown’s song, Heal our Home by her band Poor Clare.  You can find it wherever you stream music.  In November we will be singing this song each Sunday!

with hope,

Meghan