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This is an amazing church! In the midst of our celebratory Easter service, I had to report to the congregation that at the end of our canvass period, although we had pledged $138,000 to support the work we want to accomplish for the next fiscal year, that amount was $24,000 short of our goal.

The standing committees, search committees, professional ministry and administration had been asked about our hopes and needs for the coming year. The budget was established, and our pledge goal was high. We needed to raise $162,000 through pledges from the congregation. And, as of Easter Sunday morning, we were $24,000 away from our goal.

I challenged the congregation to see if they could increase their pledges by an average amount of $200. The response was stunning! Some people raised their pledges by $600, some by $50. By the end of Sunday, Pat Stark reported to me that we had cut our deficit in half! What a strong statement about the place of this church in our lives!

The work is not done. The Interim Advisory group, the Finance Committee and, finally, the Board will have to see how we can make up the difference. Certainly, if you were not in church on Sunday, I hope you will look closely to see if you can add to your pledge.

Patricia Stark will be glad to take your calls.

We have much to look forward to. We should be hearing about the Search Committee’s recommendation for our new Senior Minister soon after you read this. Our Religious Education program is flourishing under the professional guidance of Beth Williams, and we will soon be able to turn our attention again to a search for a permanent MRE.

It is clear from the past week’s events that we are an incredibly committed community. We have caught a glimpse of what we can become. We believe that what we can offer on a personal level and to the larger community is important. Through our struggles together to create an even better church we have grown strong. This is indeed a beloved community!