Stewardship

Dear friends,

As we are now solidly into the fall season, it is with both gratitude and heavy hearts that we launch the 2023 St. James Stewardship Campaign. If you have been around St. James this year, you have been holding our dear treasurer, Marina McLeod, in your hearts as she has undergone treatment for a very serious form of cancer. Marina has been on medical leave for most of this year. While she has undergone treatment, our wonderful Administrative Assistant, Sharon King, along with Pastor Seth, and our Finance Committee, have been keeping on top of our day-to-day income and expenses.

With the approval of Session, we are currently contracting with an outside accounting agency, Avlon Financial. Avlon is working to get us caught up on our 2022 reporting, which will help us with our 2023 projections. Avlon will also help us transition to updated accounting software, QuickBooks Pro. This software is more commonly used by other churches, non-profits, and small businesses. By making this transition, we will be able to access our reporting functions in an easier fashion.

We hoped to have a clearer year-to-date picture by this time, but that is not the case. This is our reminder that our health and our life together is truly a gift. We place our continued trust in God in all things, little and big. The good news is that we have continued to have what we need to support our staff, maintain our building, and keep up to date on our expenses.

On behalf of the St. James Finance Committee, thank you for your stable support. Your gifts have bolstered our ministry, helped those in need, fostered youth faith development, and brought us together through challenging times. Great things have happened and will happen because we know that we are in this together, giving what we can and trusting in the God who sustains us. Your pledge will help us plan responsibly for our 2023 general operating budget.

Supporting our Stable & Thriving Leadership

It comes as no surprise that a culture of collaboration, open communication, coherence, and hard work are vital for a healthy and thriving church staff. Individually and collectively, the St. James Staff consistently demonstrates the skills, flexibility, joy, and humility that enable this community to live out our mission of Loving Welcome, Joyful Practice, and Compassionate Service. More than half of our General Operating Budget goes to payroll. As a Session, we would like to be able to offer our staff compensation that more appropriately aligns not only with their levels of education and years of service, but that also allows them to keep up with the rapid cost of living today.

Please consider how your pledge will support our staff and their families. In 2023, we are excited to build upon the stability and health of the St. James Staff. This April will mark six years since Pastor Seth began his call in our community. Together with Tracy Caruso (Director of Children & Family Ministries), Ta Wei Tsai (Music Director), and Sharon King (Administrative Assistant), Pastor Seth will work effectively and efficiently to carry out the daily ministry of St. James. We are blessed by their leadership and service.

Compassionate Service

When you pledge towards the St. James General Operating Fund, you help us to run and maintain an important place of Compassionate Service, not only in support of our members and regular attendees, but also as an outpouring of love to those in need. St. James strives to donate at least 10% of pledged giving to Mission and Social Action Initiatives. Your gifts support St. James’ work regarding earth care, housing, disaster relief, racial equity initiatives, support for the LGBTQ+ community, and other forms of giving. Thank you for helping us partner with organizations like Habitat for Humanity, Interfaith Coalition, Presbyterian Earth Care, and more.

In grace,

Lindsay Anderson, Pam Gibson, Ray Dellecker St. James Finance Committee