“My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.” (15:8)
As you hopefully know by now, the Vestry of St. Stephen’s has a campaign underway to raise $50,000 for “Growing the Vine” – supporting our outreach ministries. Growing the Vine is especially important now, as rising food costs and gas prices mean St. Stephen’s is spending about 50% more than last year to stock the Food Pantry. Furthermore, we are seeing more guests come to the Food Pantry, as well as more people requesting help when the Food Pantry is not officially open.
In the past week, the Air Conditioning in both the Office and the Parish Hall have gone out. While we are receiving partial grants from the Diocese for repairs in the Parish Hall, at least $9000 in emergency repairs need to be paid for by us – St. Stephen’s – in the next few weeks. We do not have $9000 readily available and the Vestry will need to figure out how to pay for it.
I am telling you this to remind you that the present and future of St. Stephen’s cannot be taken for granted. We need you to participate in prayer, in Bible Study, in worship, in planning and in giving if St. Stephen’s and The Vine are to have a present and a future in Ferguson.
As a congregation, we have been invited to participate in an initiative called This Young Church Project, in which we will explore together how to engage more deeply in new ways of intergenerational worship – possibly at different times or days of the week and definitely in new ways. If you are interested in learning more about This Young Church Project, please reach out to me in the next few weeks.
We are called to bear fruit and to be Jesus’ disciples. Together, we can do both.
In Christ,
Teresa+
If you would like to make a financial gift to help sustain the church, visit the Give Page.