stewardship emphasis campaign update exciting progress ......stewardship emphasis? concordia...
TRANSCRIPT
Sofarwehavereceived22promise/pledgecards.Thefinancialcommitmentonthosepledgecardstotals$360,320.Includingthedailycostofaverylargeburrito.
Ifyouhaven'tyetseenPastorMark'svideodescribinghisfamily'ssacrifice,weencourageyoutowitnesshisleadershipexampleathttps://vimeo.com/330515838
Thisisjustonemorecreativewaytocreateagenerousgive.Seepage4ofthisnewsletterformoreideas.
Forallthesegifts,whicharetrulyamazing,wegivethankstoGod.WehopethattheseofferingswillserveasanencouragementasallofusconsiderourresponsetotheopportunityourSaviorhasplacedbeforeus.
ThreeSourcesofCreatingaGenerousGiftCreativethoughtstogetyoustartedconsideringyourownsacrificialgifttothecampaign
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Stewardship
Newsletter
April162019
StewardshipEmphasisCampaignUpdate
ExcitingProgressTowardOurGoal
DrivenbySacrificialGiving
CelebrationSundayandCampaignQ&AMarkyourcalendarsforApril28.Haveaquestion?SeetheQ&A.
ForSuchaTimeasThis ConcordiaLutheran
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You'reInvited—CelebrationSunday
CelebrationSundayisApril28th.ThiswillbeaspecialdaytothanktheLordforhismanyblessingsbestoweduponConcordiaLutheranChurchandtothankthemanymembersofthecongregationfortheirgiftstotheLordoftheirtime,talent,andfinancialsupportforourForSuchaTimeasThisemphasis.
Itwillbeacombinedworshipserviceat11AM,followedbyapotluckluncheon,pleasesignuptobringsomething.Allofourmembersareencouragedtoattendthisspecialevent!Welookforwardtothiscelebrationandfellowshipopportunity!
Promise/PledgeCards
YourparticipationstartswithprayerandcountingtheblessingsGod’sgraceinJesusbringsintoyourlife.Withthatasastartingpoint,everyfamilyhasbeengiveninformationonhowtheycanparticipate.Apromise/pledgecardwaspartoftheinformationprovidedinthepacketyouwouldhavereceivedatoneofourpresentations.Ifyoudidn'tattend,we'llbedroppingthepacketoffatyourhome,ormailingit.
OnCelebrationSundayyouwillbeabletopresentyourcardindicatingyourinitialgiftandthenathree-yearpromisetoForSuchaTimeasThis.Yourinitialgiftmaybegivenanytime.Themostcommonplanforfulfillingthethree-yearpromiseistomakegiftinstallmentseveryweek.However,giftsmayalsobegivenmonthlyorannually.Youmayalsocontributegiftsofproperty,stocks,lifeinsuranceandothersecuritiesiftheseoptionsapplytoyou.
Ofcourse,thereisnoneedtowait.Assoonasyou'veprayerfullyconsideredyourgift,youcandropyoupromise/pledgecardoffintheNarthexintheletterboxonthewallnearPastor'soffice.
Q&AfromGroupPresentations
DuringourGroupPresentations,wecollectedquiteafewquestionsandanswers.Herearethehighlights.
Arewecollectingthe$450,000beforewestartbuilding?Collectingthepledgesisthenextstepfollowedbyworkingwithlendersonaloanforthefirstphase.Thepledgesshowour
Whatisthespecialstewardshipemphasis?ConcordiaLutheranChurchhaslaunchedaspecialstewardshipemphasisoverthenext3years.Giftstothisspecialemphasiswillbeover-and-abovefirstfruitofferingsinsupportofremodelingandexpandingourfacility.Whyshouldwedothisnow?Nowisthetimetolaythefoundationforstrengtheningourministry.Thesefoundationalstepsinclude:§ Remodelingand
expandingourfacilitiesforministry.
§ UnifyingourcongregationasonebodyofChrist
§ Strengtheningourcongregationalstewardship
Howmucharewehopingtoraise?Itisourprayerthatoverthenext3yearswewillraise$450,000incashgiftsandthree-yearfaithpromisepledges.
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CalendarCelebrationSundayApril28WorshipService11AMProvideourpromisecardsfollowedbyPotluckLunch.ThankYouSundayMay5worshipservicewithannouncementofresultsMarkYourCalendarsInformationPacketsWe'veattemptedtodeliverinformationpacketstoeveryfamilyinthecongregation.Ifwe'vesomehowmissedyou,youcanfindtheoverviewbrochureonlineatConcordiaBrochureaswellasthePromise/PledgeCard.
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congregation'scommitmenttoourbuildingproject.Oncetheloanisarranged,finalizingplansandbuildingcanstart.So,thepledgeswillcomefirst,followedbyworkingwithlenders,andthenbuilding.Actualdonationswillfollowyourpledgecardcommitmentoverthenextthreeyears.
WheredoIputmypromise/pledgecardwhenI've
completedit?Thereisapromise/pledgecardletterboxintheNarthexnearPastor'sofficedoor.YoucanalsoprovideitaspartofCelebrationSundayonApril28.
Howlongwillthisbuildingprojecttake?WeestimatethattheMasterPlanmaytaketenyearsormore.ButPhase1wouldstartassoonasfinancingisinplace.Wewill,ofcoursekeepyouuptodateonallbuildingeventsandmilestones.
Willthebuildingprojectimprovethesanctuaryacoustics?Probablynot.TheMasterPlancallsforanewsanctuarywiththecurrentworshipspacebeingconvertedintothefellowshiphall.Soanyinvestmentinthecurrentworshipspacewouldnotbeproductiveforthelongterm.ThisforesightisthankstothegreatworkfromtheFutureNeedsCommitteeinmappingoutouroverallplansothatwecanbeascosteffectiveaspossiblethroughthefullbuildingprogram.
Isadirectdepositofmydonationavailable?Wearelookingintoofferingsuchaservice.Ofcourse,thereisalsoabillpayprogramavailablethroughmostbanks.Asweputinplaceaseparatebankaccountforthecapitalcampaign,we'llupdateyouonthepaymentoptions.
DoIneedtoprovidetwoseparatecheckseverySunday,one
foroperatingandoneforbuilding?Onecheckwillworkfine.Youcannoteinthememospacehowmuchgoestoeachaccount.
Thepromise/pledgecardoffersweeklyandmonthly
paymentoptions,canIpaybi-weeklyorquarterly?Certainly.Pleasenoteyourplansonthepromise/pledgecard.
WhenshouldIstartmybuildingfunddonation?Ifyouselectedweeklyormonthly,pleasestartyourdonationsinMay.Ifyouselectedannually,pleasestartin2019.
ForSuchaTimeasThis ConcordiaLutheran
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ThreeSourcesforCreatingaGenerousGift
WeareencouragingallofourmemberstoprayaboutwhatGodisaskingthemtogivetosupportthisemphasis–andthentoactinfaithastheycommittothosegifts.Herearesomepossibilitiesforyourconsideration.MatchingGift:Forthosewhoarefinanciallyable,wouldyouprayandconsiderdoublingyourexistingannualgivingforeachofthenextthreeyears?PercentageInGivingGift:Forthosewhohavebeenfinanciallyblessed,wouldyouprayandconsiderincreasingthepercentyouarecurrentlygivingtoourchurch?Ifyouaregiving5%currently,pleaseconsiderincreasingyourgivingbyone,twoorthreepercentforeachofthenextthreeyearsstrivingtoreachthe10%benchmark.ExtraordinaryOpportunityGift:Forthosewhohavebeenfinanciallyblessed,wouldyouprayandconsidermakingagiftof$20,000,$30,000,$40,000ormoreoverthenextthreeyears?Considerwhetherthisisagoodtimetogiveanappreciatedasset.
HowMuchShouldI
ConsiderGiving?
Inthecomingdays,allofuswillbeaskedtoconsideraspecialoverandabovegift.Perhapstheseideaswillstimulatesomethinking.
RearrangePrioritiesinMyLife–AmIplanningsomeeventorexpensewhichIcoulddolaterafterIgivemyover-and-abovegift(threeyears)?
ChangingMyLifestyle–CouldIsavemoneybydoingsomethingdifferentlyorgiveupsomehabitthathasacost?
GiveSomethingofValue–WhatdoIhavebesidescash,wages,savings,andinvestmentsthatIcouldgiveandmyministrycouldconvertintodollars?
Manymembersofourcongregationmayfindthemselvesalreadyfinanciallystretched.Agenerousgiftmayseemimpossible.Weencourageeveryonetobethoughtful,prayerfulandpatientasagiftamountcomesintofocus.Someofthemorecreativemethodsthatindividualshavediscoveredthatallowthemtogiveinclude:
§ Takeyourlunchtoworktwoorthreetimesaweek.§ Makecoffeeathome,skipStarbucksorEinsteinBrosor??§ Sellordonatecollections(art,cars,guns,stamps,coins,
antiques).§ Cashinsavingsbonds,investments,assets(stock,
inheritance,realestate).§ Giveupsomething.§ Postponeahomeadditionorelaboratevacation.§ In-kindgifts,especiallyifyouownabusiness.§ Haveagaragesale.
Someoftheseideasmaynotworkforyou,butyougettheidea.Creativethinkingandlifestylechangescanresultinagiftthatismeaningfulandwillprovideaninvestmentthatislastingforourministry.
Whateverplanyoudecideforyourgiving,rememberthattruejoycomesnotfromourloveforGod,butintheloveGodhasforus.Goconfidently,“forthejoyoftheLORDisyourstrength”Nehemiah8:11(NIV)!
Itismoreblessedtogivethantoreceive.
Jesus,Acts20:35
StewardshipNewsletter April162019
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StewardshipPrayerWeloveyourchurch,Lord.WeloveConcordia.Ourdesireistobeverysupportiveofanyefforttoexpandandimproveit.Ourdesireistoalwaysrespondinfaithtoeverychallenge.Butthereissomuchuncertaintyintheworldtoday.Theeconomyseemsokfornow,butweknowhowfragileitcanbe.Ourjobsseemstable,butwhatifsomethinghappened?Whatifwehadhealthproblems,orifhealthcarecostswentupsuddenly?Itisdifficulttoseehowwecanbeverysupportiveofrequestsforfunding,evenforthechurchwelove.AsIstrugglewiththeseconcepts,Lord,IamhopingforsomeclearguidancefromYou.Ikeephearing“whenallisdark,Youhelpussee.”Sohelpmesee,Lord.HelpmeseeYourplan.HelpmesenseYourpurpose.HelpmeunderstandYourwillformeandmyfamily.Amen.
What'sThisAllAbout?ServingAllGod'sPeopleWellperhapswewon'tbeserving"allGod'speople."Butwedoneedtoserveallthosewhoarriveatourdoor.Thatincludesourcurrentcongregationandtheirgrowingfamiliesaswellasourguestsandmembersyettoarrive.Thatmeansexpandingourfacilitiestoaccommodateourburgeoningprogramsthatputanevergreatersqueezeonthespacewecurrentlyhave.
Ratherthanaddingsomespacehereandthereinarandomefforttomeetourdevelopingneeds,weformedtheFutureNeedsCommitteein2016toholisticallyexamineourcurrentandfutureneedsforspacetomeetallourprograms.They'vedevelopedaMasterPlanthataddressestheneedsanticipatedoverthenextdecadeormore.Thenthey'vedevelopedaPhase1approachtomeetingcurrentneeds.YoucanseetheMasterPlanoutlinebelow.Formore,followthislinkFutureNeedsCommitteeDrawings.
TheGift
IfIseethegiftasminealonetogive,Imightgivehesitantly,evengrudgingly,consideringmyoptions,thengivingfromasenseofought.
IfIseethegiftasGod'swhoallowsmetouseitforatime,thenthegiftcanflowmorefreely,asIjoinwithotherstobeachannelforGod'sloveandmercy.
ForSuchaTimeasThis
StewardshipNewsletter April162019
ConcordiaLutheranChurchWhereGod'sLoveTouchesPeople'sLives