Dear Friends in Christ,

This upcoming Sunday is our 2026 Pledge Consecration Sunday. On this Sunday, we’ll receive 2026 pledge cards at the end of worship as well as dedicate these initial commitments. If you cannot be present, but are prepared to make your 2026 pledge, I encourage you to mail these to the church this week. Having as many pledges as possible at this time serves a practical purpose, for it enables the Stewardship and Generosity Team to prepare the coming year’s church budget for review at November’s church business meeting.

Your monetary support – like your giving of your time, energy, and prayers – for the church makes our mission possible. As I wrote last year: “Money makes the world go round. And, while it’s true, as has been said and sung, money can’t buy happiness or love, it can fund love.” Your monetary gifts fund love that is of God!

And, divine love is much needed in our divided world of today. Too many people, especially too many of our political leaders practice limited and conditional love that diminishes humanity’s potential. Too often, too many practice hateful, hurtful and harmful ways of vengeance… ways that stand in stark contrast to the Way of Jesus that is constituted by grace, mercy, forgiveness, healing, and justice-seeking for the well-being of all.

So, I hope you’ll join us this upcoming Sunday in worship and offer your 2026 pledge. But, if you’re unable to do so at this time, I hope you’ll make a commitment at a later date. For every “dime” that you give to our mission will mean our being able to make more than another “dime’s worth” of difference in God’s world!

Blessings of Giving in Response to Jesus’ Prayerful Hope: “Thy will be done-on earth as it is in heaven,”
Pastor Ed