Invitation Letter

September 13, 2023

Dear St. Paul’s:

Our church is a place where love comes alive. It fills every meal we serve. It soars in every note we sing. It shines within every welcome we extend. It breathes through every class we teach, prayer we offer, and meditative silence we share. God’s love is all around us, and St. Paul’s is a church where that love becomes action.

When Jesus told his disciples that everyone would know them by their love, he envisioned the sort of selfless, sacrificial way of life that defines our church. In more ways than we can count, the people of St. Paul’s live out the Great Commandment by loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind and loving our neighbors as ourselves. It is more than a reputation we have earned. It is who we are.

This fall, as we begin to prepare for next year, I invite you to think of your financial gifts as an act of love. When you make your financial commitment, do so as a commitment of your love—love of God, love of this church, and love of our neighbors who will be impacted by your gifts. Most of all, let your gift become a way for your love to grow and deepen as you make it tangible, real, and significant.

On October 29, we will have our annual Celebration Sunday. That morning we will gather for worship and a festive brunch to celebrate all the ways that God loves us and calls us to put that love into action. At all three services, parishioners will be invited to fill out a commitment card and bring it to the altar. This year, our focus during the annual giving campaign is “Love in Action” and I encourage you to consider the ways in which the gifts you offer are an act of love.

Every year, I invite you to make a proportional, sacrificial, first-fruits gift to God as a spiritual practice. I believe that the practice of faithful giving deepens our ability to trust God because it allows us to put God’s love into action. During the weeks leading up to October 29, we will hear brief talks about giving, and I hope you will take some time between now and Celebration Sunday to prayerfully consider what part of your income you will share as your own act of love.

Please let us know whether you will join us on October 29. If you cannot come in person, you will still have the opportunity to make your commitment online that day or through the mail later on. I look forward to seeing you soon. Thank you for all you give back to God through our church.

Yours faithfully,

The Rev. Evan D. Garner
Rector