A message from our rector, The Rev. Richard Weinberg:
We are so glad to have you as part of our community of faith. In a tumultuous year for our city and country, your presence has enhanced our community and contributed to our collective worship. Amid the turmoil, we give thanks that the membership of our parish grew, that we offered significant formation programming, and that we continued to serve the guests at Charlie’s Place, among other vital offerings to both members and the community outside the parish.
For those of you who pledged and provided support this year, I thank you. Your financial gifts sustain this ongoing work of our parish.
As we prepare for a new program year, St. Margaret’s worship and spiritual formation will focus on discernment. Discernment is a word that Christians use to describe the spiritual practice of identifying where God is at work in our lives and aligning our choices with that divine movement. Rather than a rigid formula or a frantic search for a hidden “blueprint,” discernment is dynamic, relational, and rooted in the principles of our faith.
I hope you agree that St. Margaret’s 2027 stewardship campaign – Where the Giving Path Leads – invites us all to engage in tangible ways with this theme of discernment.
As I shared at our mid-year meeting on September 20, St. Margaret’s has concluded its most recent five-year strategic plan, under which we experienced growth and vitality, thanks to the participation and support of all of you. In the coming months, with input from members of the congregation, the Vestry and I will be discerning the shape of a new strategic plan to guide us for the next five years. We have already begun work that will inform that plan, namely a new staffing arrangement, which will better position us to meet the varying pastoral needs of our parish.
As we enter into this giving season, I want to offer you some “prayer prompts” to consider as you discern how God is calling you to give:
- When in the past year have I felt most clearly that I was doing what God wanted me to do?
- Where have I experienced God’s abundance in my life, even in a hard season — and what would it mean to bring my feelings about giving into prayer rather than deciding alone?
- If I trust that St. Margaret’s mission matters for God’s love and justice in the world, what would a faithful, stretching “yes” look like for me this year?
On this page, you will find more information about the campaign, giving tools and resources, and more inspiration around the theme of discernment.
I invite you to prayerfully consider your pledge for 2027 and return it as soon as you’re ready — online, by mail, or by dropping it in the offering plate at worship on Sunday morning. As in recent years, we encourage you to submit your pledge at any time on a rolling basis before St. Margaret’s Day, November 15.
Thank you for your faith and generosity,
+Richard
Members of the stewardship committee:
- Jessica Church (co-chair)
- Melissa Devereaux (co-chair)
- Nellie Fagan
- Giselle Pole
