Doors to the Future
Annual Giving Campaign for 2026
The days are getting shorter, and there is a chill in the air. Autumn is upon us. As we return to our fall routine and welcome our new rector, we are struck by the growing vibrancy of parish life at Emmanuel.
Attendance is clearly rising, Adult Forum is drawing crowds, and strategic planning is in the works. Many of you, and hopefully most of you, have attended the Red Door Forums to express your hopes and dreams for our future.
Speaking of doors, the theme for this year’s stewardship campaign is Doors to the Future. It doesn’t take too much imagination to apply this sentiment to our church!
The campaign kicks off on Sunday, October 19. During the following three weeks, members of our parish will speak at each service. They will discuss the impact Emmanuel has had on their lives and that of their families.
Cards have been mailed to registered members, on which you can record your pledge. You can also fill out a pledge card below. The final Stewardship Sunday will be November 16. However, there is no need to wait until that date to turn in your pledge. We encourage you to consider prayerfully your pledge for the coming year and submit it at your earliest opportunity. We do ask, however, that everyone submit their pledge by November 16 so that a budget can be created for 2026.
The amounts which we raise from this stewardship campaign pay for the majority of the the day-to-day expenses of our church. While we are blessed with a healthy endowment (please see the enclosed materials), we do not have a checkbook attached to our endowment! During the stewardship campaign, we raise the money necessary to pay the staff, keep the lights on, and, yes, keep the doors open.
The image of our doors opening to a very bright future is powerful! While we ask that everyone commit to an increase in their pledge, it is just as important that everyone participate at whatever level they are able. We appreciate the money which is placed in the plate every Sunday, but pledges are the basis for each year’s budget.
Friends, let us together open our doors to the future. As Jesus said, “Ask and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be open to you” (Matthew 7:7).
—Bruce Bonds, Senior Warden
Attendance is clearly rising, Adult Forum is drawing crowds, and strategic planning is in the works. Many of you, and hopefully most of you, have attended the Red Door Forums to express your hopes and dreams for our future.
Speaking of doors, the theme for this year’s stewardship campaign is Doors to the Future. It doesn’t take too much imagination to apply this sentiment to our church!
The campaign kicks off on Sunday, October 19. During the following three weeks, members of our parish will speak at each service. They will discuss the impact Emmanuel has had on their lives and that of their families.
Cards have been mailed to registered members, on which you can record your pledge. You can also fill out a pledge card below. The final Stewardship Sunday will be November 16. However, there is no need to wait until that date to turn in your pledge. We encourage you to consider prayerfully your pledge for the coming year and submit it at your earliest opportunity. We do ask, however, that everyone submit their pledge by November 16 so that a budget can be created for 2026.
The amounts which we raise from this stewardship campaign pay for the majority of the the day-to-day expenses of our church. While we are blessed with a healthy endowment (please see the enclosed materials), we do not have a checkbook attached to our endowment! During the stewardship campaign, we raise the money necessary to pay the staff, keep the lights on, and, yes, keep the doors open.
The image of our doors opening to a very bright future is powerful! While we ask that everyone commit to an increase in their pledge, it is just as important that everyone participate at whatever level they are able. We appreciate the money which is placed in the plate every Sunday, but pledges are the basis for each year’s budget.
Friends, let us together open our doors to the future. As Jesus said, “Ask and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be open to you” (Matthew 7:7).
—Bruce Bonds, Senior Warden