November 15, 2024

Sisters and Brothers,

 Last year, my Stewardship Letter to you opened thusly:

 I was warned by many of you when coming here about “talking about money.” I was told you didn’t have enough, that you’re giving potential was exhausted, that the urgence for frugality was so we could continue to operate for as long as possible.

Imagine my optimism upon hearing these admonitions, knowing that I was part-time with no Music Director and a long list maintenance projects. There was also the deep irony in all this that y’all wanted me to be full-time and have a permanent musician and new carpet and the roof not to leak and to repave the parking lot…

This year you received an initial solicitation for Annual Giving to our 2025 Operational Plan from the Stewardship and Development Committee that includes the following:

• Wow! What a great year we’ve had!
• We got the roof fixed!
• We have architectural drawings for the ADA bathroom and are talking to contractors!
• We have a contract for new flooring!
• We have a full-time Rector!
• We have an active new Vestry!
• We have a committed Stewardship and Development Committee that is evaluating and pushing through ideas and projects!

 We have so much to be grateful for and so much more to come to enrich our spiritual community. So, let’s keep the momentum going!

 So, what once seemed impossible has been realized. That and more. We have not come close to tapping the full giving potential of this congregation and her friends. The flooring was largely paid for by an anonymous, unsolicited gift of $20,000, and through designated giving, not included in our 2024 Operating plan, St. Bart’s will give between $25,000-30,000 to provide for Afghan refugee families. We do have some goals that still linger: finishing the ADA restroom, the parking lot, a permanent solution for Music Direction, but all of that feels much more attainable now than it did a year ago. I hope that seeing what we can accomplish together motivates you to continue to grow in your generosity to St. Bartholomew’s and deepens your trust in our vitality.

 

Last year, I encouraged you to change our financial narrative from one of undue and unmerited anxiety and shame to one of living out our hopes, desires, passion for our life together here at St. Bart’s. We are seeing that change happen with each goal set and attained. We live our common life before the face of God in worship, service, fellowship, and formation. Our life together carries expenses, and we must take that seriously, but that reality should never distract from our call to be a refuge for those who need us to introduce or re-introduce them to God’s love and call in their lives. We have the unique privilege of being caretakers of a holy place and a holy community, and we, with each goal set and accomplished, become better equipped to care for all that and all who have been entrusted to our care.

 I close as I did last year:

•  You ARE more than beautiful/faithful/generous/smart/loving ENOUGH.
• You ARE more than creative/determined/resilient/passionate ENOUGH.
• You need not wait on God to magically provide. Set aside the anxiety and shame about money. God has already given us all that our life together needs to make St. Bart’s who and what she is called to be.
  I trust in your passion for and generosity to our life together, and I thank you, in advance, for your prayerful commitment and pledges to that life.

 God’s Peace,

The Rev. Michael Cadaret, 
Rector