Stewardship is the belief that everything we have is from God, and so we’re called to share these gifts.
We are all blessed by God in different ways. And God calls us to share these gifts — our time, talents, and resources — to care for others, our community, and all God’s creation through the ministry of God’s Church. The ministry of Advent is sustained by 100+ members who practice stewardship.
WHat is a PLEDGE?
A pledge is a commitment and estimate of your planned giving to Advent in 2020. It’s not a donation. It’s not a contract (i.e. We’ll understand if things change, and you can no longer give at whatever level you pledged.) A pledge is given in faith, and it helps us plan our ministry.
WHY DOES ADVENT ASK FOR PLEDGES?
It empowers ministry
Pledges help us create our 2020 budget. Our Budget Committee uses pledges to estimate our income in 2020, which determines our operating budget, which impacts our ministry. If you are planning to give to Advent in 2020, no matter how much, pledging now empowers our ministry. By making an estimate and letting us know in advance how much you plan to give, you enable us to create a budget and ministry plan that includes your gifts.
It sparks intentionality
Pledging our giving to God’s Church makes stewardship intentional. During this season of gratitude, pledging makes space to reflect on all the gifts from God: your life, this world (however imperfect they may be) God’s unconditional love in the midst of all of it, your relationships, your body, all your things, your next breath. From this place, it’s about making a thoughtful decision about how you want to share your gifts through God’s church. Giving is a reflection of gratitude. Giving is an act of praise to God. Giving gives everything we have meaning and purpose.
HOW DO I PLEDGE?
When you are ready to pledge your giving to Advent’s mission and ministry in 2020, choose the option that’s right for you:
Option 1: Print out a pledge card, fill it out, and bring it forward during the Offering in worship on Stewardship Sunday, November 24. If you are an Advent member, you should have also received a letter and pledge card in the mail. Can’t make it Nov 24? You can also leave your pledge in the Offering plate on Sunday, Dec 1, Dec 8, or Dec 15.
Option 2: Submit your pledge online by Dec 15. This is a quick, easy way to submit your pledge at any time convenient for you. We ask that you submit your pledge by Sunday, November 24 or as soon as possible, to help the work of our Budget Team. However that is not hard deadline. If you need more time to discern, we understand.
How can I manage my giving in 2020?
Everyone handles giving differently, and we try to provide a variety of options in hopes that one works for you.
Place your gift in the offering plate in Worship
Give via text during Worship (details are in the Worship bulletin)
Why give to Advent?
Practicing stewardship through Advent Lutheran Church empowers our mission, and the Lutheran Church around the world.
Your pledge and giving empowers Advent’s ministry right here in this community. We also give 12% of our income to Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which funds help for refugees and immigrants, working toward the end of hunger, education for those without access to schools, advocacy for the marginalized and oppressed, building up new pastors and leaders in the church, inspiring the faith of new generations, and so much more.
At Advent, our mission is to welcome all people to experience and live out God’s love.
Following the example of Jesus, our strategy is to practice authentic community that builds an inclusive faith. Through this mission, our vision is to be a church where the Holy Spirit transforms people’s faith, the community, and the world. We spent 9-months creating this renewed mission together. This is the mission we are empowering with our giving.
When you see the looks of accomplishment on the faces of people learning English as another language and the faces of our volunteers in our ESOL ministry, that is stewardship.
When our children sing songs about Jesus love, growing in faith and prayer, because their teachers and parents/caregivers have taken the time to share their faith, that is stewardship.
When we send our tithe, 12% of our income, to the Metropolitan New York Synod and it is used for relief efforts, hunger, education, and sharing the love of God, that is stewardship.
When we feed people who are hungry, this year to date over 29,000 people, that is stewardship.
When we receive prayer & strength in worship, at the communion table & in relationship, that is stewardship.
When we teach our young people, attend Adult Bible class or bake cookies for Coffee Hour, we unite with others in community for the sake of the Church.
When we help others learn English in ESL class, help clean after Community Lunch or give to the Food Pantry, we unite with others in community for the sake of the neighborhood.
When we give beyond our regular offerings to Lutheran Disaster Response, visit one of our sister congregations in El Salvador or Tanzania or support the Heifer Project or Bread for the World, we unite with other in community for the sake of the world.
Together we are . . .
Gathering to praise God
Sharing Christ’s love
Baptizing people into faith
Advocating for hungry people
Supplying groceries & hot meals to over 29,000 people
Traveling to the ELCA National Youth Gathering
Providing legal aid and support to immigrants
Celebrating and building the faith of our children
Learning together in Bible Study
Growing in faith on our church retreat
Creating beautiful music that praises God
Producing podcasts to share the word of God
Building stronger ties with our sister churches in El Salvador and Tanzania
And so much more…
Ever since I came here I feel like God has become part of my life [. . .] The people who are joining this community are being transformed. I am, I think, an example of that. - Adolfo R.
We moved to New York for my spouse's job, and I didn't really know anyone here. What I found with Advent is a wonderful, welcoming community and a place that feels like home. - Abby F.
The people here have helped me to rejoice in my faith, live in my faith, and showed me how to use that faith and love to try to be a better person, set an example, and share that love with others. - Lynne H.
For me, being at Advent, coming here every Sunday, the whole community, every single sermon, is like a call to action. I call it "living out loud." It's not just a one-time event. It's like, what do you do after the sermon ends? What's next? - Blessing T.
When I became a single parent, the support that Advent gave me made me stronger to take care of my children. - Rebecca C.
Together, we completed a 9-month visioning process and renewed our Mission & Vision on September 22. Now, we’re creating the plan to realize that mission.
Our mission is to welcome all people experience and live out God’s love. Following the example of Jesus, our strategy is the practice authentic community that builds an inclusive faith. Our vision is to be a church where the Holy Spirit transforms people’s faith, the community, and the world.
And that mission, to invite people to experience and live out God’s love is an urgent one. There are so many people who do not know that God loves them for who they are and who they are becoming. People who have been told (or shown) they are unlovable so many times they walk through life like it is true. In our bold praising, in our gifts used to proclaim the never – shy love of God, we can be the catalyst for transformation, for freedom, for hope.
That is the work of the church. Please prayerfully consider your Stewardship Pledge for 2020, and how your acts of praise might join with the praise of others to do the work of the church. That is, to help people know the never-ending love of God. Thank you for your prayerful consideration.
Think about where and how God is leading you to give to God’s mission at Advent.
When you are ready, fill out your stewardship commitment card below.