“We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the encourager, in encouragement; the giver, in sincerity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.” 

~ Romans 12:6-8

We Are One Body

I am delighted to announce that this January, our Endowment Committee funded over $80,000 in new financial grants to further the ministry of Saint John's. The strength of our Endowment Fund enabled us to provide our largest annual financial award to date! Six grants were awarded to help extend our ministry within Saint John's and outside our walls, guided by our mission statement: creating a community, enabling God’s love to change people, and encouraging our people to change the world.

Through your generosity and stewardship, our new grants support the following programs:

• Improving the sustainability and accessibility of our church, including improvements to our roof and our elevator
• Expanding our ability to offer hybrid Christian learning through new technology
• Engaging our community in justice-focused Christian education, responding faithfully to patterns linking faith and political power
• Continuing to enhance our Grace Garden ministry by improving our playground facilities
• Beginning a partnership with Burnet Middle School to provide encouragement, love, opportunity, programs, and services to support students

Each program above will be implemented by a Saint John's committee and monitored by our Endowment Committee. If you would like more information about the charities receiving funding or ways to become involved, please reach out to me or a member of the committee. We also invite your prayers for these organizations and for the continued growth of our church’s endowment, which enables us to support God’s work now and for generations to come.

I remain honored to be a part of guiding this process for our church and excited about these grants which enable our congregation to drive our mission and ministry! While I am excited about our ability to financially support these ministries, I am even more excited about the opportunities it provides our members to serve and grow together. Each grant reflects our shared commitment to serve joyfully, love sincerely, and give cheerfully. Collectively, they provide a diverse set of opportunities for our congregation to connect with each other, grow in our faith, and engage directly with our community. 

What is your response to the scripture from Romans 12 cited above? What gifts do you bring to Saint John's? Which of these Endowment grants excites you the most? How can your gifts help multiply these gifts and expand these ministries? I encourage you to prayerfully consider how your time and talents can help these Endowment gifts make an impact within our church and our community.