Generosity is so Much More Than a Campaign
By Rev. Lynn Bartlow, Lead Pastor
This is a big week of the life of St. Mark’s! We are down to the LAST few days of the pumpkin patch! It’s Rummage to the Rescues! It’s Trunk or Treat at Nash Elementary School! It’s movie night outside at the Magee Campus! It’s Fifth Sunday! It’s Commitment Sunday!! It’s just days before our Church Conference! Let’s throw in a few more things because I think we need more things to do!
There’s a chance to invite your friends and neighbors to any one of these things. A personal invitation is the best way to get new people to church– not postcards or fliers or radio ads. YOUR invitation. So, who will you invite?
This Sunday concludes our Generosity Campaign. We have spent this last month talking about our generous church that offers community, compassion, love & justice to the world by caring for the people around us. We’ve shared some great videos that highlight our work.
As we wrap up this time, I ask you how you will give to the church in the new year? As you know, inflation and cost of living increases make it harder to buy things. Our staff deserve raises. Our building needs continued upkeep (how many new ACs will we need next year?!?). Our Covenant Council will put into place new ministries to support our new goals and new mission statement; these new ministries will need funding. Our Growth and Outreach Committee wants to be out in our community in new ways, inviting more and more people to join us.
All of this costs money. We ask for a commitment from you for our budget for next year, so that we might plan for the budget in the new year. What will you commit financially to the church? How can you be generous with your financial gifts?
Bring your pledge card Sunday as we worship God. We will celebrate our kids and give out Bibles to our 3rd graders. Bring your favorite Bible, too! We will practice some Bible skills and we will learn what it means to live an abundant life.
See you soon.
Pastor Lynn
SUNDAY WORSHIP SCHEDULE
• 8:30 and 10 a.m. Traditional service in Magee Campus sanctuary
• 10 a.m. Modern service at Sanctuary Campus
• 10 a.m. Magee Campus youth and children’s Sunday School (except fifth Sundays) and child care
• 10 a.m. Traditional service livestream premieres on YouTube and Website
Worship online at 10 a.m. on Sundays at umcstmarks.org/live-worship or YouTube UMC St. Mark’s AZ. You can also watch the service at a later time.