November 21, 2011
Thank you for a wonderful stewardship Sunday! We received your pledge cards, shared a meal, planted tulips and some of us witnessed the Council of Elders at Occupy Wall Street.
If you were unable to join us and would like to make a pledge, or if you need a pledge card, letter or call from a member of the Vestry to help you finalize your decision, please contact the office.
All Saints' Day, 2011
Dear Friends,
Our gifts for ministry are abundant!
As 2011 draws to a close and as we prepare our ministry plans for 2012 at St. Mark’s Church, we are struck by the change in the world we have seen this calendar year, and the movements for change in our nation today. We as a congregation are exploring ways to engage and support the Occupy movement. Many of us as individuals are a part of the movement in Manhattan and Brooklyn. We are seeing an emergence of exactly the kinds of voices we hope to attract and cultivate here at St. Mark’s. Protest of injustice, public witness against forces that oppress ourselves, our sisters and brothers and the earth, is the work of the followers of Jesus in every age. We are blessed to live in a time in which that work is becoming the work of many.
We are writing to you to ask for your financial support in the year 2012. We are financially stable and have been for two years. We are also a community filled with new members for whom a clear appraisal of where we are and where we hope to go is important. St. Mark’s is blessed with income and inspiration from Arts Partners that make up about 50% or our roughly $400,000 annual budget. The other 50% are from your pledges and gifts, the rental of our rectory apartment and other occasional rentals of space. Rental of space is not an ideal way for a church to make its budget. Our reliance on rental income reflects the hard times this congregation has been through in the past, and some wonderful partnerships have emerged of necessity.
We have accomplished significant structural and administrative work in the past two years. We are now able to begin to apply for additional support through grants for both significant building work and creative programming and ministry both for our congregation and for our neighborhood. As we prove to be good neighbors, local groups are coming to us with projects with which we can partner. It is a time of fast paced growth in every area.
We are asking you to join us in this next phase of our growth. It is the nature of a healthy organization to grow, and we believe our recent growth is a tribute to our graciousness in community and worship, clear articulation of our values and administrative efficiency. We have created a haven for those who seek to follow the way of Jesus in this city. The possibilities for ministry are endless, and your gifts for ministry are abundant. Let this place become a home for you. Please plan to give to us as a part of your giving for 2012 in a way that reflects the value of this place in your life.
Our schedule for Stewardship includes brief talks from parishioners about pledging Nov. 6, and Nov. 13, and a Stewardship and Thanksgiving Service on Nov. 20, during which you offer your cards for blessing and afterwards we will celebrate an early potluck Thanksgiving lunch together. If you have any questions about the process of pledging, please do not hesitate to contact the office or a member of the Vestry. We look forward to our continued ministry together.
Yours in Christ,
The Clergy, Warden and Vestry of St. Mark’s in the Bowery
THE LAST THING WE RAISED SOME MONEY FOR... . THANK YOU!
August 2011
We are making some significant progress on our sound system for the Sanctuary. Below are the actual costs for the pieces we are purchasing.
We've already contracted with and paid a sound consultant who has given us a few options to build a system for the Sanctuary. He has been very generous with his time, and we the equipment liste above are his recommendations. We have been very happy with the demo equipment the last few weeks, and in order to avoid going back to the old system for an interim period, we are asking for your support now.
The speakers and microphone we have used the last two Sundasy were a wonderful addition. It is by far the best sound we've had in the Sanctuary since I've been at St. Mark's. We have them on loan for one more Sunday, then we will purchase a set. That is what is priced above.
The acoustic panels will significantly increase sound quality even further.
If you are interested in supporting this project financially or in some other way, do let me know. It is an expensive venture but necessary.
Thank you!
July 2011
St. Mark's in the News!
Theo Hobson in the Guardian on Church that works
Winnie in the Huffington Post on Marriage Equality
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