Friday, October 12, 2007

First Quarter Stewardship Letter (part 2)



Note: In my blog yesterday I included the first part of a letter that I wrote to our Grace Church family to update them on our progress in the areas of finances and stewardship through the first quarter of the fiscal year (July-September). Today’s blog is the conclusion of that letter and will highlight the many end of the year giving opportunities that are coming up for our church as we go through this second quarter of the fiscal year (October-December). If you did not read yesterday’s blog, I would encourage you to go back and read it before continuing on with today’s entry.

As we near the end of the year, let me make you aware of some additional giving opportunities that we will have as a church in which we can give above and beyond our regular giving. These will include:

Missionary Christmas Gift: Over the Sundays in November you can give a special financial gift that will go to many of the missionaries we support as a church by marking your giving, “Missionary Christmas Gift.”

Birthday Gift for Jesus: In past years this project has gone to support our national foundation layers in Cambodia which is now part of our regular budget. We will be using this years giving project to launch a new partnership. It is estimated that in the country of the Central African Republic (CAR) alone there are 200,000 orphans due to poverty, war and disease. These orphans are cared for by extended family, but due to extreme poverty, these families cannot properly care for these precious children. One of the greatest needs is that of education. Grace Brethren International Missions has launched a “hand in hand” ministry that will allow churches in America to partner with churches in the CAR to see Christian Schools put into these churches so that these children receive a God-centered education that will allow them to succeed rather than become a statistic. You can be part by marking your gift over the Sundays in December, “Birthday Gift for Jesus.”

Staff Christmas Gift: Also, on December 2, 9 and 16 you will have the opportunity to give a special financial gift that will be used to give our paid staff here at Grace Church a financial end of the year love gift to show appreciation for all that they do. Simply mark your gift for this purpose, “Staff Christmas Gift.”

And as you prayerfully plan out your end of the year giving patterns, I would also encourage you to remember our Facility Expansion Fund which you can give to at any time throughout the year. The more that this fund grows now, the more we will be in a very good position to move forward in expanding our facility and ministry.

Again, thank you for your faithful support and commitment to Grace Church. The goal of these quarterly letters is in no way to “guilt” you into anything but simply to keep you aware of our financial status as a ministry and of the giving opportunities that lie ahead of us as a church.

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