WHEREVER YOU ARE ON YOUR JOURNEY OF FAITH
YOU ARE WELCOME AT THIS TABLE
STEWARDSHIP 2022
Rooted in love Blessed are those that trust in the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by the water, sending out its roots by a stream. It shall not fear when the heat comes, but it leaves shall stay green; in a year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8
This year for our stewardship theme we return
to fearful, competitive accumulation, and to
to an image even older than the prophet
walls set up against others. The tables of
Jeremiah: the image of a resilient tree
welcome we set form us into a new sort of
planted by the water, its roots reaching out
household and society. And even in the
to nourish and support, its hospitable
middle of a pandemic, our household has
branches extending to the sky. Jeremiah
grown!
offered his people this image in hope during a time of exile and displacement. Maybe you
In response to our call in this time of
can identify with feeling displaced or
pandemic, St. James’ has created online,
uprooted by the upheaval of this pandemic.
hybrid, and outdoor spaces for worship,
People have moved and we have
prayer, Bible study, and doing life together.
experienced loss; rhythms and patterns of
We keep singing and hoping with and for
living have changed. But in his vision of the
each other as we all ride the rollercoaster of
tree, Jeremiah discovers that even when
emotions and anxieties brought about by
powers too big for us displace the people of
COVID. St. James’ continues to contribute to
God, we remain rooted in God's loving and
critical conversations around racial justice by
everlasting faithfulness. We have only to
creating fruitful spaces for transformative
reach out to seek God and each other.
encounters. We continue to find ways to celebrate the feasts and fasts of our church,
At St. James’, we have sought to do this
and we have poured hours and resources into
through the work of radical welcome, by
the work of pastoral care and outreach to
setting tables (physical and metaphorical)
seniors and families through Welcome Table.
where all people may encounter a glimpse of God’s greater welcome. At these tables, we
The people of St. James’ have been
find that God’s economy is a radical
responsive to the Spirit’s call to extend our
alternative to corporate capitalism,
branches so that many might find sanctuary.
In 2021
Looking to 2022
Over the past year, St. James’ has sought to invest
We enter St. James' 80th year as a congregation
in ministries for all ages, to be responsive to new
on Founders Day this December, and in this year,
ways of gathering people for worship, formation,
we aim to unearth the foundational stories and
and community, to bring back our music program
histories of our community and to celebrate the
strong in spite of COVID, to strengthen and
many sorts of diversities embraced by our
stabilize our 501(c)3, to pay just and competitive
congregation and our east Austin community.
wages to our staff, and to plan for the future by
We will continue to learn how to be a people on
taking care of some of our past debts, both
a spiritual journey together, even as our modes
physical and financial.
of gathering adapt to our circumstances.
Here are some of the ways we have been
In order to meet the challenges of the upcoming
deepening our roots and extending our branches
year, we are relying on the financial support of
of welcome:
each St. Jamesian. In 2021, 158 households
We kept traditions going like Jazz at St. James',
pledged a total of $580,203.
the Lenten Tea, the Blessing of the Animals, and feast days that honor St. James' African
For 2022, we need to raise a total of $668,000
American heritage.
in pledges in order to rebuild staffing and
We expanded our reach by developing
program budgets, particularly in the areas of
effective live streaming of services in English
music and formation. This is a bigger stretch for
and Spanish.
us than last year, but not so big as the leap we
We hired a new Music Minister, HouFei Yang,
made in our 2020 campaign. Through a
for the morning, and we are in the process of
combination of new pledges and through the
rebuilding the choirs.
expanding generosity of current pledgers, we
Ari Monts brought back the tradition of
believe that this is an ambitious but reachable
Vacation Bible School, and we developed
goal. We can do it, St. James', but we need your
outdoor family picnic eucharists.
help. 82% of our annual budget comes from
We brought our nursery staff back from
your pledged or unpledged giving.
furlough. We hired a bilingual Children's Minister, Amber
Every gift counts, every pledge makes
Sarpy Lora.
a difference, and every contribution renews
We built a plan to be largely debt-free by
our commitment to God, answering
2025.
the call and saying, “Here I am. Send me.”
We have supported the continued growth of
We look forward to the new opportunities
our 501(c)3, Welcome Table, and the
that God will set before us, and we invite
continuation of its programs: Neighbor 2
your continued support through time,
Neighbor and Freedom School - Austin.
talent, and treasure to deepen our roots and
We hosted The Rev. William Barber and
expand our branches. pn
participated in voting rights efforts and advocacy for the trans community.
How to Pledge The Stewardship Team is asking that you make your pledge online at stjamesaustin.org/give or by turning in your pledge card by November 7. Mail it to the church office at 1941 Webberville, 78721, bring it to an inperson service, or drop it off in our mailbox on campus.
2022 pledges do need not be paid now and may be adjusted during the year by having a confidential conversation with Parish Administrator Aimee Estep or our Rector, The Rev. Eileen O'Brien.
Why Pledge by Nov 7 Turning your pledge in by November 7 allows the Vestry Finance Committee to enter the budget process with confidence. We build our budgets based on your pledges. Your pledge makes a difference.
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