Psychologically speaking, communal memory contains a huge reservoir of positive energy. We can unlock some of the energy of past positive memory so that, staying with the analogy of the reservoir, the water of past goodwill becomes the source for irrigating the present. This requires the creation of conduits through which the energy of past memory can flow. An example of such a conduit is the St. Martin Window Restoration Project. Dedicating the project in memory of Dan Burke builds a conduit through time for the positive memory of Dan's tenure as rector to flow into the present. The window restoration becomes both a conduit for positive energy from the past and a potent sign of our vibrancy and renewal in the present-time.  If you would like to honor Dan's memory and support this conduit for the flow of necessary energy from past to present, consider visiting www.stmartinsprov.org for further information and an easy way to donate towards the financial cost of the project. Thank you to those who have already contributed.

At the parish's Annual Meeting Sean Mulholland, using a series of graphs, wove a narrative of long-term financial trends. The five salient elements in Sean's narrative are:

 1.   Between 1994 and 2015 the size of our pledge base shrank from 278 to 150. This is the long-term trend as the popularity of pledging among the post boomer generations declines - potentially bad news until we find another business model for funding church life.

 2.  During the same period the dollar value of our pledges has continued to increase, reaching a peak in 2010-12 of around $360K before falling back to $315K in 2014 - this despite the dip in 2014, is hopeful news!

 3.   Our projected pledge income for 2015 has recovered to $350K thanks to your generous response to our Annual Renewal Campaign theme of gratitude, which is really good news!!

 4.  As we go into 2015 with a $29K operational deficit a number of you have already responded to my last week's invitation and promised to increase your pledges by the minimum of $4 per week needed to close the deficit. Thank you! I am confident we will achieve if not exceed this goal, which is good news!

  5.   The area for concern is when we look at the distribution of pledges. In 2005 the dollar amount of pledges $4000 and over amounted to 23% of total pledge income. In 2015, pledges $4000 and over amount to 49% of total pledge income. We are now overly reliant on our larger donors, a risky place for us to be, and this is potentially bad news! But the good news is that recovery can be achieved through growth in the pledge base with new pledges of between $500 - 2500K.

In weaving a long-term financial narrative the parish leadership is seeking to be transparent and to communicate both hopefulness about our untapped financial potential, as well as sounding a caution in areas for concern. The truth is always double edged. We have not yet reached the upper margins of our financial resources. Yet our financial base, represented by the number of pledges is now too small to fund who we long to become. Herein lies our imperative for growth! Our theology of stewardship can be found here.

Here's looking forward, this Sunday, to seeing you in Church!

Mark+

We invite you to be a part of the exciting activities in our Children's Formation Program. If you would like to be kept current, please contact me at lgriggs@stmartinsprov.org to be added to the KidZone email list.

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We can build this living tapestry here at St. Martin's. 
God is the weaver and we are all the threads.