At the end of his second epistle, Peter signs off by encouraging his listeners to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord.” He knows that there are competing demands in their lives and competing voices in the marketplace of faith and society, so he encourages them to put their trust in Jesus. Two thousand years later, we at St. Stephen’s Church still find our common ground and purpose in that same place, striving to grow together in grace—through spiritual formation, acts of compassion and service, through worship and praise, and through stewardship of all that is entrusted to us.
Your pledges and gifts toward our annual operating budget make that possible.
Here are some of the ways we aim to grow in grace in the year ahead.
• Deepening formation for all ages. Renewed and expanded formation pathways for children, youth, and parents—shaped by the insights of our family ministry discernment process—alongside new retreat and service opportunities that invite adults into deeper spiritual practice, community, and mission.
• Stewarding our sacred spaces. Continued commitment to essential building improvements, including stone and wall repairs in the church and the completion of the HVAC re-piping project, ensuring that our parish house remains a place of hospitality and comfort for all who gather within its walls.
• Sharing food and hope with those who hunger. Increased support for our food ministries so that we can meet the growing needs of our food pantry guests—a community that has nearly doubled over the last year and includes many immigrants seeking resources, stability, and a network of care.
• Extending our voice in the wider community. Launching a new chapter of our communications ministry and building on the legacy of Sarah Bartenstein’s work, we plan to enhance our digital presence through expanded publicity and streaming so that our worship, music, and ministries reach a broader audience.
All of this will be possible only with your generous financial support. As we look toward 2027, we ask for your help as together we grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord.
Did you know that the work we do as a parish is funded primarily by your
pledges and gifts? Fully 87 percent of our budget comes from pledges and
other annual gifts from individuals and families, with 6% from facility rentals
and other income streams and 7% from our endowment. Your generous
annual commitment is crucial.
to provide the worship and music, spiritual formation, hospitality, pastoral care, and outreach that give life and hope to so many.
*These are 2026 figures.
Help us grow in grace.
The dollars pledged are important; broad participation in this annual
support is important, as well. Last year, we received pledges from 838
households. Those commitments totaled $3.02 million, a significant
portion of the funds needed to carry out our mission of hospitality,
healing, and hope.
Our goal this year is to receive pledges from 850 households for a total of $3.25 million. Every gift of any size will help us reach that goal.
