Stewardship 2025: Sharing Our Story
Nov. 4, 2024
Friends,
Approaching the Season of Stewardship fills us with gratitude and deep appreciation for the ways you respond to God’s generous grace. Guided by the theme from 1 Peter 4:10—“Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received”—we remember our calling to be Stewards of God’s Grace, sharing love and blessings in every aspect of our lives.
Over the past year, we have witnessed the transformative power of your giving. Your contributions have allowed St. Andrew not only to meet the immediate needs of our congregation but also to extend God’s grace beyond our walls, reaching the broader community in meaningful ways. Whether it has been through our missions, youth programs, worship services, or acts of outreach, your support has enabled us to embody Christ’s love and serve those in need.
Specifically, we are proud of feeding thousands of families through our monthly Food Market; of partnering financially with scores of organizations through our Mission, Outreach, and Service Team; and of organizing a two-year “Minds Matter” focus on mental health. We celebrate the creativity of our Children’s and Family Ministries Team with Vacation Bible School, weekly videos for family worship, and special events, such as Trunk-or-Treat. We are thrilled with the diversity of music in our worship services and with the ongoing vision of our Worship Team.
In July, when we found giving levels were lagging behind the annual budget, members of the Finance Team encouraged us to increase General Fund giving by 5% through the end of the year. Thank you for hearing that appeal and responding. We saw an increase in generosity among both new and existing givers, helping to bring the visionary budget set by Session last year close to break even again.
At the same time, we thank you (and God) for increased giving to our ongoing capital campaign along with special projects, like the improved church entryway. Total pledges to the Rooted in Faith | Growing to Serve Capital Campaign have passed the $1 million mark, making it the fifth straight capital campaign since 2008 to reach that goal. And an additional $200,000 has been raised this year to help ensure that our main entryway is accessible to all.
As we look to the future, we acknowledge the challenge of worshiping and serving without called pastors. We both celebrate and mourn the retirements of Pastors Rob Martin and Kyle Otterbein. We are so grateful to our talented staff members who guide and support us. As we work toward calling a new Pastor Nominating Committee, we are excited to learn more about your vision and passion for our future. This vision will guide us in growing our impact, nurturing our spiritual development, and building upon the solid foundation laid by those who came before us.
The next twelve months hold great promise for St. Andrew. With God’s guidance—and with your continued generosity—we plan to strengthen our children’s and student ministries, offer new opportunities for adult spiritual formation, enhance our worship experience, and continue supporting mission projects locally and globally. We also look forward to addressing important facilities needs to ensure that our building remains a welcoming and functional space for all who seek to grow in faith and fellowship.
On November 17, we encourage you to join us for Stewardship Sunday. During the Learning Academy time, we will have a special presentation from members of our Session, finance, and building teams. We want to hear your feedback and questions about the business of the church.
Your gifts of time, talent, and treasure are essential in making our vision a reality. We invite you to prayerfully consider how you can continue to be a steward of God’s grace in the coming year. Together, we can embrace the work God has called us to do, with hearts open to sharing abundant blessings.
You can pledge online using your credit card or bank account (https://tinyurl.com/sapc-pledge-2025).
You can fill out a printed pledge card and return it to the church office or place it in the offering plate during worship.
Or you can contact John Benson, St. Andrew’s finance administrator, directly (finance@saintandrew-ic.org, 319-330-3197).
Thank you for your faithful support and for being an integral part of St. Andrew’s mission to share God’s grace. Let us move forward with hope and expectation, trusting in God’s provision as we do holy work here on Earth.
In Christ’s love,
Christina Charis-Donelson
on behalf of the Stewardship Team (Tim Benson, Eric Goers, Toni VanVoorhis, and Bruce Walker)