October 22, 2025
Jesus said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade. (Mark 4)
What is Happening Sunday?
This coming Sunday, 10/26 we get to thank God for God’s work through and in us during this 2026 stewardship campaign!
The 2026 campaign that started September 14th closes Sunday October 26h with much joy and gratitude. We will give thanks and celebrate so much: how we share, how we give, and the ways we commit to grow forward together.
On Sunday we will celebrate God’s ongoing work through each of us. We invite those who have been discerning their financial commitment to make their pledge for our 2026 campaign.
We will celebrate the ways each of us with open hearts and in gratitude offer our time, experience, and skills to Epiphany. Our growing forward encompasess more than our financial contributions!
What is the Campaign Status?
Goal for Financial Commitments: $225,000
After the 2026 Stewardship Campaign concludes Sunday, if we reach our financial commitment goal, the finance committee will likely propose to the vestry a 2026 budget in deficit by $15,000 and will include a suggestion that the vestry authorize drawing against the church’s reserves for that additional $15,000 needed so we can fully fund the ministries in 2026. If we exceed our goal by that $15,000, there would be no need to plan spending against the church’s reserves.
Goal for Number of Pledging Units: 50
As of Sunday, October 19, we have 33 pledging units. Thank you! We had 44 pledging units in 2025. We have a stretch goal of increasing our number of pledging units by 15%, getting us to 50 pledging units. Of the 33 pledging units to date, five are from first-time pledgers! We have 15 pledging units remaining from families who pledged in 2025 and are still discerning! If the remaining pledgers from 2025 pledge in 2026, we are ONE pledge away from getting to our 50-pledge goal!
Current Financial Commitment Total: $160,000
We have $65,000 more to raise to finance the budget through pledges and the church’s reserves. To fund the budget completely through pledge commitments, we have $80,000 more to raise.
Did you know? If everyone who made a pledge last year and has not yet pledged, gave the exact amount they did in 2025, we’d have an additional $48,000! We would therefore need only $17,000 more to reach the $225,000 goal ($32,000 additional in total to fund the budget without spending against the church’s reserves).
Did you know? If those 33 parishioners who already made their 2026 pledge gave $15 a week more (about the cost of two coffee shop lattes!) we would:
1. have a total of just over $185,000 financially committed from those 33 pledgers, and
2. if those who made a pledge in 2025 and have not yet pledged for 2026, matched their level of pledging for 2025, we would raise an additional $48,000 for a grand total of $233,0000,
3. and if we receive six new pledges that together total $7,000, we would fully fund our 2026 ministries without any draw from our reserves!
On behalf of the stewardship committee, the vestry, staff, and all our ministries, we thank you for your prayerful discernment about making a financial commitment Epiphany!
How will We Celebrate on Sunday?
- We will offer prayers and plant a tree, a symbol of hope and trust in God to help us grow forward together.
- We will offer a festive brunch.
- We will give opportunities for us to recall and share all that we are thankful for.
Join us on Sunday! Wear comfortable clothes! Be part of celebrating a mustard seed kind of growing here at Epiphany!
