Dear Friends,

Over the weekend we launched our Stewardship of Treasure drive. Last year at the start of our drive, I wrote to you about our parish being a place of Encounter with Christ. This past year we absolutely became that place of encounter. Maybe not in the ways we expected to, but we have emerged from the first half of 2020 to find ourselves navigating a world quite different than the one we left. And yet while the world around us has changed drastically, one thing remains consistent: Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Deep in the Heart of Christ we find Perfect Love casts out fear.  Deep in the Heart of Christ we experience abiding Peace. Deep in the Heart of Christ we discover a sustainable Joy.  

Today I am asking you to join with your parish by making a pledge to our Stewardship of Treasure so we may endeavor to be to be a beacon of light in very troubling times. Our Annual Offertory is the only source of funding for our mission. By making a pledge you are helping us to plan our budget for this upcoming year.

While we have done very well meeting the challenges of an ever-changing pandemic environment, both by keeping in touch with those not yet ready to return to parish life or ensuring the safest environment possible for those who are, we are incurring additional supply costs for cleaning our church, offices, and school buildings; We have also had to make unplanned purchases of new technology, furniture and equipment to fulfill our mission. We do this because we believe in what we do, and we love God and we love each of you. We see the fruits of having live streamed Mass and events, of maintaining a robust faith formation calendar of offerings, both online and in-person, and of bringing our children back to school onsite 5 days/week. To make it happen, we had to make the investment and it is worth it, but all these expenses are in addition to our normal operating cost and increases due to inflation. 

We continue to keep put more money into and aside for preventative and on-going maintenance of our aging buildings; better support our full-time, part-time and missionary staff (which makes up about ½ of our staff positions), and give appreciation the other ½ of our staff who are unpaid and do so much to help us run our parish on a tight and responsible budget. 

Whatever amount you plan to give, I especially want to encourage you to make an annual pledge and give via Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT).  EFT was the only consistent income for the parish during the “Stay at Home” order. Likewise, over the last 6 to 7 months, only around half of the parishioners who attended Masses before the Pandemic have returned to in-person worship at Mass. Therefore, giving cash, checks and envelopes during this time as dramatically decreased. If it were not for our parishioners who have been giving automatically and consistently through electronic giving, our parish would have suffered a great deal in its efforts to function and keep our doors open.  EFT is a reliable source of funds to run our day to day ministries year-round, eliminates touch points, is cost effective, and will make it easier on you because you do not have to remember envelopes or checks each week when you come to Mass.  Please make a pledge to our parish, our mission and our offertory this year, and please consider giving regularly through electronic giving.  

Click here to find our online pledge form. Please prayerfully consider how much you can give to help fund the good works the Holy Spirit is doing in this vineyard, our parish and please consider using our EFT to facilitate your giving. Through your generosity, you can be the person Jesus provides to help illuminate the path for others to a fearless life.  

Next weekend, October 10 and 11, you will find our 3rd Annual Stewardship of Treasure report at the doors for you to pick up. We will also send it electronically through our Flocknotes. Inside it you will find our annual financial report, stories, photos, and commentary on the successes of this past year, and a financial plan for the work we intend to do in the vineyard in the coming year. I invite everyone to look through the pages of this booklet as you consider how you are being called to financially support the mission of our parish. 

Finally, the weekend October 17 and 18, is our commitment Sunday. I will ask you to drop your pledge in the offertory basket…or even better…use our online link to make your annual pledge. No matter how large or small your gift, I ask you to join us and your fellow parishioners as caretakers of the His vineyard, to be the person Jesus uses to bring all souls to him here at St. Francis de Sales, for tomorrow and the many tomorrows yet to come.

Please know of my deep appreciation for your partnership in our mission and all that you are doing to make our parish community a place where we can work together to be the instrument Jesus uses to bring all souls to him here at St. Francis de Sales

In His Service,