Your Generosity is a Celebration

It’s that time of year again. Let’s talk about the budget, shall we?

The good news is that giving has gone up the last couple years, and this year offerings have been higher than the council anticipated. We are not in a state of decline, and St. Mark continues to grow in our ministries of service and faith formation. The generosity of St. Mark’s members is unmistakable. This summer, we challenged you all to match a gift given from Ulla Kercher’s estate, and you went above and beyond. Those funds are being used to support our outreach, youth, and children’s ministries. 

Every time we ask you to support a local charity with food, gifts, or donations, you do so with enthusiasm and kindness. You gave 133 pounds of cereal to the Rock River Valley Pantry in September. Right now the hallway is overflowing with coats for Rockford’s refugee community. Soon, you will no doubt buy Christmas presents for 60 foster children in LSSI’s annual Adopt-an-Angel program. It is a joy to behold your goodness.

Of course, you know what is always paired with good news. I hesitate to use the word, “bad,” so I’ll say that the less good news is that, like your generosity, expenses are also on the rise. Anyone who has bills to pay and groceries to buy knows that rising prices are the unfortunate reality everyone is living under. Households, businesses, healthcare providers, non-profits, and local governments all feel the pinch when everything costs more than it used to. Expenses have grown so much that, even with your increased giving, we will most likely end this year with a deficit.

Your offerings are used with care to support everything from music ministry, worship, faith formation, outreach, and staff salaries. Over the last few years, our staff and council have worked incredibly hard to trim our expenses to be as lean as possible, while still providing these ministries. As one ministry leader put it, there isn’t any fat in our budget.  To get it balanced again, we need everyone’s help. 

In November, St. Mark members will be asked to make a pledge for giving in 2026. Our goal this year is $800,000. As we approach Stewardship Sunday, I ask you to pray about your commitment to our ministry and to carefully consider increasing your pledge for the coming year. If giving increased by a dollar a day per household, we would exceed that goal! At the same time, a pledge of any amount will get us closer to the finish line.

I was hesitant to call rising expenses bad news earlier because every dollar that we spend goes toward sharing God’s love with the community and meeting the spiritual needs of this congregation. Our entire budget is a celebration of our values as followers of Jesus Christ. I am confident that you will once again rise to the occasion and support this wonderful congregation of ours to the best of your ability. Thank you for all you do for St. Mark, and all that you will continue to do in the coming year! 

Peace,

Pastor Chad McKenna