A Future Filled with Hope
Since 1941, St. James’ Episcopal Church, rooted in East Austin, has sought to be a community that sings a song of hope in God’s promises and strives to build the kind of Spirit-filled human community that Pauli Murray imagined in her poetry and in her life of advocacy, ministry, and action. In our life together, we seek to sing a song full of faith, remembering and honoring the courage of those who came before us who built their church on the foundations of God’s radical hospitality and love. We seek to sing a song full of hope, even in difficult times, knowing that hope is a liberating and life-changing gift from our loving God, given to us to share with all people. During this season of stewardship, we invite you to consider how your generosity helps us plant seeds of hope for the future.
St. James’ Episcopal Church sets tables of welcome where all can encounter Christ’s love. We are an inclusive, multicultural, and affirming community.
Lift every voice to sing a song of faith.
In
2024
In 2024, we did the big things we promised to do and more:
We hired a full-time Associate Rector for Latino Ministries and Community Life, The Rev. George Porter.
In partnership with the diocese, we brought on a Curate, The Rev. Addison McMillan to plant new campus ministries and get new work going with young adults.
We increased our nursery staffing. We increased our hospitality budget so that we could bring more people together around tables to share our stories and celebrate our heritage.
We increased our funding for key outreach, including our budgetary support for Welcome Table.
We have begun a Strategic Visioning Process, which will lead into a Master Plan process (already funded).
The Vestry has set a goal of $828,500 in pledges for 2025, so that we can: support Christian formation for all ages (including the planting of new campus ministries at Huston-Tillotson University and beyond);
share and rejoice in the beauty of worship with a diversity of thriving music programs; creatively gather diverse communities around the table for spiritual nourishment.
About the money
This is where the money comes from
Pledged gifts account for most of our funding. In 2024, 165 households pledged a total of $732,385. The median pledge was $2600. Our total budget was $1,005,652.
This is where the money goes
Lift
How will we reach our goal?
We believe that we can reach our goal with your prayerful support so that St. James’ can continue to be a home for hope and an oasis of welcome and love.
If you have never pledged before, let us know that we can count on your support in 2025. A pledge is a confidential promise of support that helps us boldly plan for big things. Sometimes circumstances change unexpectedly, and that is okay. Know that you can adjust your pledge during the year through a confidential conversation with Parish Administrator Aimee Estep or Rev. Eileen O’Brien.
If you are in the habit of pledging, don’t forget to fill out your card or the online form this year, and consider increasing your gift to the work of St. James’ Episcopal Church.
The Stewardship Team is asking that you make your pledge online at stjamesaustin.org/give or by turning in your pledge card by October 31. Mail it to the church office at 1941 Webberville, 78721, bring it to an in-person service, or drop it off in our mailbox on campus. Turning your pledge in by October 31 allows the Vestry Finance Committee to enter the budget process with confidence. We build our budgets based on your pledges. Your pledge makes a difference.