Stewardship Drive 2024-25

Dear Starr King Members and Friends,

 

This year is different.  Last year, we completed our Stewardship drive and then discovered that we were short of the amount needed to support our Fellowship through the 23-24 Fiscal Year.  Following a special appeal, your pledges increased to $187,000. Additional one-time gifts also helped us close the gap. With this increase and some painful budget cuts, we generated enough for essential operations.

 

This year, our Finance Committee has established a budget of $200,000 which restores some of the cuts made last year and accounts for inflationary and other increased costs.  We do not want to be in the position of another special appeal this year.  Instead, we are being clear up-front about our Fellowship’s needs to sustain our dedicated staff, our building, our Sunday services and other programs, and our community work. We can achieve our $200,000 budget goal if a sufficient number of members and friends who have not previously pledged are able to pledge this year, and those who pledged last year are able to increase their pledge by about 6.5%.

 

We understand that this is more than some can manage, and that others could do more than 6.5% to help compensate.  Those newer to our community and pledging for the first time can consult the guidelines in the Stewardship packet.

 

Here are some links to our Stewardship packet which includes a letter from Reverend Linda, a review of our financial data, and ways to pledge for the 2024-2025 budget year. We will also send you a brief email regarding your pledge.

 

We invite you to sign up for a cottage meeting at the home of one of our members for food, fellowship, and an opportunity to share your ideas regarding our community.  In addition to the cottage meetings, there will be a Zoom meeting option and a brunch following a Sunday service.  To sign up click here.

 

Last year your pledges to our stewardship campaign provided essential support for our Fellowship and you stepped up in response to our special appeal. We hope you will reflect on the value of our community to you and help us to keep on moving forward by again pledging to the best of your ability and increasing your pledge to help us achieve our needed 6.5% increase.

 

In these dark and challenging times our Fellowship is a beacon of hope and love for us, the community and the world.  Please do everything you can to help us sustain the light. 

 

With love and gratitude, your Stewardship Committee,

 

Mary Hazelton, Chair

Sandy Mucci, Vice Chair

Nancy Chaddock

Bob Gannett

Susan C. Scrimshaw