A WORD FROM MOTHER KIM
Dear St. Tim’s,
In the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, there is a prayerful meditation To love as God loves. It begins with two basic premises: first, love ought to express itself in deeds more than words; and second, love consists in a mutual sharing of goods between persons, so that each one shares what they have or are able to give with the other. The retreatant then asks for the grace to know all the good they have received from God, so that in gratitude, they can love and serve God in everything.
Reflecting on this past year at St. Tim's, I am grateful for so much. The longer I look, the more I see to be thankful for. As the loaves and fishes multiplied in the hands of Jesus, God multiplies our gifts. In the divine economy, there is always an abundance. Often, the givers report that they received back even more than they shared!
God is calling our faith community to cultivate core values of courage, connection and care. We are beginning to reap the fruits of being faithful to that invitation:
I see courage in the emergence of new leaders: facilitating small groups, guiding parish ministries, and building advocacy networks. Members are discerning the Spirit's leading and responding to God's call.
I see people building connections through learning, serving, laughing, and praying together. Members are opening themselves to new ideas, to new friends, and new partnerships.
I see caring through accompanying refugees, serving the unhoused, and visiting the sick and the lonely. Members are meeting Jesus through the poor and vulnerable.
Thanks to a generous outpouring for the capital campaign, we now have a beautiful renewed campus to worship, fellowship, and serve our neighbor. We experience and proclaim a God who loves us beyond all measure. St. Tim's has so much to share.
All of this is made possible by the financial support of members like you. I invite you to join me in making a pledge for 2026, equipping St. Tim's to continue the good work to which God has called us. A pledge is an estimate of your financial giving for the year, which helps the vestry be good stewards of the parish budget. Over 95% of revenues comes from member support. This year, annual pledges ranged from $300 to over $30,000, each household giving as they are able. Every gift matters in furthering our mission to embrace all people with the love of Jesus.
Brian Evans, parish treasurer, shares a draft budget for 2026, so you can see how your gift will make the difference. St. Tim's leadership strives to be excellent stewards. By November 16, please submit the your pledge via card in the offering plate, or pledge online via the button at the top of this page.
Grace and peace,
The Reverend Kim Seidman
Rector
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A pledge to St. Tim’s represents one of the many ways people support the work and ministry of this parish. A pledge in particular represents a Christian commitment to work, pray, and give for the benefit of the local church. Your pledge is not binding, rather a good faith estimate of what you are able to give for the year. This allows our vestry to plan our budget for the upcoming year.
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Initial preparations for the development of the parish operating budget for 2026 have begun. After the Annual Campaign, “Sharing Our Harvest” is concluded, the draft budget will be modified into a final recommendation to the Vestry for consideration. The Vestry approves the final budget prior to the annual meeting in late January or early February.
This budget draft indicates a total of $890,967 is needed to maintain parish operations for 2026. This amount includes the Associate Rector position. (While the budget reflects this as an expense, it is important to note the Associate Rector salary and benefits will be funded through a reserve set aside for this position.) When removing the Associate Rector salary and benefits the actual budget for 2026 is $47,160, or 7%, higher than the 2025 budget.
The annual operating budget includes the following areas:
Parish ministries: 69% of budget
Clergy & Staff Compensation & Benefits
Pastoral Care
Worship
Music
Adult and Youth Formation
Support of Community Outreach Partners
Building maintenance: 14% of budget
Episcopal Church Support: 8% of budget
Diocesan Pledge
Regional Pledge
Utilities: 4% of budget
Communications and Administration for Church Operations: 5% of budget
Funding for 2026 is dependent on the success of the Sharing Our Harvest Annual Campaign. 96% of parish revenues come from member support. Please give as generously as you can.
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We ask you to pray first and seek God's invitation. The right amount will be a glad and generous offering that also feels significant to your specific financial position. Each year we receive a wide range of pledges from 10 dollars per week to well over a $1,000 per month. This year we received pledges from 127 different households which came to just over $548,000. If you are considering making a pledge for the first time, or increasing an existing pledge, we ask that you prayerfully consider an amount that feels right and joyful to you.
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In any way that feels best to you! While most give weekly or monthly online, others prefer cash or check, and still others make a gift through IRA Charitable rollovers. While we encourage people to give online through Realm, we are happy to assist you to give in anyway that feels comfortable to you. If you are interested in giving online, you can complete your pledge and set up online giving at this link or watch this video. If you’d like help, please email Maggie.
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St. Tim’s views giving through a wholistic approach. We all give in a number of ways. Your presence and service are always cherished here. If you’d like to talk about other tangible ways you can commit to furthering the work and mission of this parish, please email us.
MEMBER TESTIMONIALs
Click the video above to hear Mark Bell's words from Sunday morning and about why the Annual Campaign resonates with him.
Ann Haehn shares why she plans to support St. Tim’s with a 2026 pledge.