A Posting from Pastor Lindy July 26

 Hi Pilgrims,

Sort of incredible how quickly we are moving through the summer as we approach the last weekend in July. I try to cling to summer through August (with a birthday therein), through the rhythm of church life, and yet it is a month when things begin to return to “normal.” Boards, Council, Community Organizations resume meeting, each of which begins to populate what had been a quieter calendar. Couple those meetings with ‘pre-meetings’ to regroup and plan agendas and the month quickly fills.

As much as we might experience a mini-respite from the weekly demands of being church, there are parts of our ministry that do not even get a stay-cation. Worship, of course. The nursery and fellowship, additionally. And also often unnoticed, but deeply necessary, our finance team who must continue to meet the demands to keep the lights on, the air flowing and the staff paid. And everything in between! Grateful was I when Mark Webbink endeavored to write a detailed manual to show us how much time, energy and resource, this volunteer invested in the role of Treasurer to hold our finances with care and steward this ship called Pilgrim. It is, and has been, a significant ask for whoever has said yes. And we are so deeply grateful for each Treasurer’s dedication to this beloved community.

One of the things I’ve learned about our summer months through our Treasurer’s counsel is how our summer flow can induce palpitations and hand-wringing as Sunday attendance dips with ensuing vacations, travel, and all other sorts of weekend fun that leave our pews a bit emptier. When these patterns begin to emerge, naturally they are also impactful on our weekly offering. So, of course, our Treasurer feels the weight of responsibility about shepherding us through, knowing the budget and stewardship process is right around the corner. The last week of July is often when these faithful servants feel the confluence of these many stressors. We can help alleviate this undue strain by ensuring that, regardless of our attendance, we are keeping up with our pledges so as to even out the highs and lows of our financial year. It would be incredibly helpful for you to do a quick check-in to ensure your giving is up to date.

And yes, this was your pastor’s attempt at not so subtle encouragement.

With gratitude,

 
Pastor Lindy

(she/her)Pronouns matter