Christmas giving
Dear Friends in Christ,
In this uncertain time we have been blessed by the dependable and faithful generosity of our members. On Ingathering Sunday we celebrated a generous response to our stewardship campaign. If you have already made a pledge, thank you! The year ahead is still uncertain and I appreciate the fullness of your support.
If you haven’t yet made a pledge for next year, you can pick up a form in the church office or pledge online.
Gathered in love. Transformed by grace. Sent to serve. These three statements reflect the principles of our faith. They serve as anchors and guides for how our parish lives out the Episcopal doctrine. During this Christmas season you are invited to express these principles through different donation opportunities.
Children’s Project
We continue our tradition of support for local schools through our partnerships with Rio Vista, Holloway, and Imago Dei.
Christmas Offering
Every organization and non-profit is facing uncertain times with costs that rose dramatically in recent years. Every year at Christmas we look beyond our immediate community and identify non-profits who would benefit from our generous support.
There is no end to the ways we could devote the Christmas resources, and I’m grateful for the many deeply felt suggestions we received. Each of the organizations below focuses on the transforming work of Christ in our communities through the life of the Church.
We will give away the entirety of our Christmas Eve offering, as well as any advance donations, to three organizations: the Innocence Project, the Southwest Indigenous Women’s Coalition, and Old Pueblo Community Services.
The Southwest Indigenous Women’s Coalition works to increase the capacity of indigenous communities to address and respond to domestic violence through education, training, and culturally sensitive supportive services. Violence rates on reservations are reported to be as much as ten times higher than the national average, and our support will help transform the lives of women and children there.
The Old Pueblo Community Services reentry and recovery program places people who have been released recently from prison in stable housing, and provides an array of support services. These include a dedicated case manager, substance abuse counseling, mental health care, life skills training, and employment assistance.
Since 1992, the Innocence Project has helped to free or exonerate more than 250 people who’ve collectively spent over 3,800 years wrongly incarcerated. The Project’s focus is to ensure that innocent people whose lives, families, and communities have been upended by wrongful convictions in a sometimes deeply flawed system receive some measure of justice and a renewed sense of dignity and support.
Click on the button below to donate to one, two, or all of the different giving options.
My hope is that this season gives us a chance to remember how much God loves us and to give thanks for all the generosity he bestows on us—not just at Christmas but every day—even in uncertain times.
Yours in Christ,
—Fr Robert
