Fall Financial Commitments

Dear Lydians,

A little over a year ago St. Lydia’s was little more than an idea.  We started our church from scratch: no budget, no staff, just a home cooked meal, and a table in a congregants’ dining room, and a bunch of generous people.  It’s been a whole mess of wonderful people giving what they can that’s added up to the budget that keeps our church growing.

Giving is a spiritual practice.  We talk a lot at St. Lydia’s about how practice shapes our faith.  It’s what we do that transforms us bit by bit into new people.  The act of giving generously and regularly helps us live lives that are characterized not by clenched hands, but open ones.

A practice of giving also helps us keep our eyes on the prize, as the old spiritual says.  Jesus talked a lot about possessions and money getting in the way of a relationship with God.  Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21).  Giving keeps our hearts and minds turned toward God.

Our budget for the 2010-2011 program year is $31,624, an increase of $8,500 from last year’s budget.  This increased budget will ensure we have funding for our weekly meal, publicity, and program supplies.  We intend to put more of our resources toward facebook ads, as well as increase the salary of our Community Coordinator.

I invite you to take some time this week to consider making a generous and regular financial contribution to St. Lydia’s.  What might you offer each week or each month?  The practice of giving consistently will make a huge difference in supporting the work of the church we’re building together.  You can fill out a financial commitment sheet at St. Lydia’s on Sunday.  The sheet will also be available in the weekly update during the month of September.  Once you’ve made your financial commitment for the 2010-2011 program year, it’s easy to give what you’ve committed by writing a check or giving online at our website.

It’s an honor to work with each of you in building St. Lydia’s.

-Emily