Join the Journey STE WARD SH IP 2012
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21
The St. James Steward Ship, introduced in this form at the St. James 2012 Ministries Fair, is from a photograph by Fred C. Frey, III of a needlepoint seat cover created by the St. James Needlepoint Guild. The chair displaying this work is one of two bishop’s chairs in the sanctuary of St. James Episcopal Church.
Stewardship Statement
St. James Episcopal Church We acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the giver of all that we are and all that we have, and that we are entrusted to be stewards of His gifts. We believe that, as stewards, God desires that we joyfully give our treasure, time and talent to His glory. We acknowledge stewardship as a living witness of our faith and the tithe as a standard of Christian giving. We will work toward tithing as part of our total stewardship commitment and pray that the seeds of generous giving will grow the kingdom of God. We invite you, our St. James family, to join us in this affirmation of stewardship — gratefully acknowledging our blessings and giving out of thanksgiving.
The St. James 2012 Vestry The Very Rev. J. Mark Holland, Rector Hays Alexander, Senior Warden Denise Allen, Junior Warden
Our church plays such a significant role in so many lives, as it has for over 175 years. Stewardship Steering Committee
B
eing a member of St. James gives each of us such a sense of joy — it is truly a wonderful place to call our spiritual home. Our church plays such a significant role in so many lives, as it has for over 175 years. Generation upon generation of faithful parishioners have been baptized, confirmed, and wed; have celebrated countless holidays together; and, have observed lifetimes of Sundays experiencing their faith in our historic, beautiful church. St. James continues to welcome new members to our congregation, bringing new life and vitality to the church. We hope you share in this joy that comes from the strength and blessings our church provides. A critical aspect of our church’s continued strength is your support in time, talent, and treasure. The church relies on the support of the congregation to provide the ministries and many services that make it such a vibrant place to worship and such an asset to the Baton Rouge community. As this year’s stewardship campaign begins, we hope you will prayerfully consider making a pledge of your support to St. James.
While our church remains in good financial condition, it is timely for the congregation to revisit our individual commitments to St. James. The amount of pledged income received by the church, which is the lifeblood of our budgeting process, has remained flat for the past several years. While the budget has been well managed, we would would like to improve the recent downward trend in the number of pledges received from our parishioners. The strength of our church lies not just in the buildings, but in the strong clergy and staff, the outreach programs, ministries to the sick and needy, the support of the Day School, the Center for Spiritual Formation, and all of the other activities that are possible in a thriving, vibrant church. As one of the fortunate Episcopal churches to be enjoying a period of continued growth, these church blessings should continue and expand. In order to fulfill our mission, we need your commitment. We hope you will join us in making a financial pledge to St. James so that it may continue to provide such a wonderful place to worship our Lord. Your Stewardship Steering Committee,
Elizabeth & Jay Noland
Marsha & Tom Wade (back row)
Linda & Bob Bowsher
Nancy & Trey Roberts (front row)
Pledged Offerings 1177326.36 194156.66 Unpledged Offerings Investment Income 143574.54 Fees & Misc. 201904.36 1716961.92
69% 11% 8% 12% 100%
Stewardship is Part of Our Identity Pledged Offerings - 69%
Unpledged Offerings - 11%
Investment Income - 8%
Income 2011
Fees & Misc. - 12%
All things come of thee, O Lord, and of thine own have we given thee. 1 Chronicles 29:14
The Proportional Giving Journey Page 1
Use your St. James Giving Statement and the chart below to find your proportional giving rate. Each person has a unique financial situation, so there can be no set amount of giving that is right for everyone. As God’s entrusted stewards we are designed for goodness and generosity. Making a pledge to St. James Episcopal Church helps to unlock our innate generosity and calls us to live our lives as a faithful response to a life-giving generous God. Annual Gross Income 1%
2%
3%
4%
5%
6%
7%
8%
9%
10%
$5,000 $ 50 $ 100 $ 150 $ 200 $ 250 $ 300 $ 350 $ 400 $ 450 $ 500 $10,000 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1,000 $20,000 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800 2,000 $30,000 300 600 900 1,200 1,500 1,800 2,100 2,400 2,700 3,000 $40,000 400 800 1,200 1,600 2,000 2,400 2,800 3,200 3,600 4,000 $50,000 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000 4,500 5,000 $75,000 750 1,500 2,250 3,000 3,750 4,500 5,250 6,000 6,750 7,500 $100,000 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000 9,000 10,000 $150,000 1,500 3,000 4,500 6,000 7,500 9,000 10,500 12,000 13,500 15,000 $200,000 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000 18,000 20,000 Example: A parishioner making $45,000 annually would like to commit 6% to St. James. At the $40,000 row, 6% column, we find a corresponding amount of $2,400. By adding $300 from the $5,000 row at 6%, we arrive at a pledge amount of $2,700.
Consider stepping up your giving by moving one or more columns to the right for your 2013 pledge.
Sheet1 Center for Spiritual Formation 65530 Christian Education 105169
Christian Education - 7%
Expenses 2011
Center for Spiritual Formation - 4% Youth Ministry - 8%
Worship & Pastoral Care - 34%
Diocesan Asking - 11%
Worship & Outreach Music Prog Maintenanc Diocesan G Youth Mini Center for Christian E
Outreach - 7%
Music Programs - 7%
Maintenance & Utilities - 25%
In order to fulfill our mission, we need your commitment.
After your prayerful consideration, please: • Return your pledge card by mail or in the offering plate between now and Stewardship Sunday, November 11, 2012; or, • Use our online pledge form at www.stjamesbr.org or email pledge@stjamesbr.org to register your pledge; or, • Phone our accounting office at 225-387-5141. Our stewardship volunteers will gladly visit any household whose pledge card has not been received by November 11.
205 North Fourth Street Post Office Box 126 Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70821 225 387 5141 225 387 1443 fax www.stjamesbr.org