May 2013
St. Mark’s News Volume 16/Issue 5
From the Rector – Stewardship for the Present and Future An article on stewardship in May you may well be asking?! It is true that we usually talk explicitly about stewardship only in October, but our focus in October is on our next year’s budget. We have not said nearly enough about the fact that St. Mark’s has an Endowment Fund to which gifts can be given at any time of the year, and for any occasion or reason. This has come to my mind because of a most generous gift St. Mark’s recently received. A parishioner who is faithful each year in pledging recently sold some property that enabled him to give us a gift (actually a tithe of the amount he received from the sale) in the month of April. Per his suggestion and the Finance Committee’s affirmation, it was decided that $6500 of the gift would be designated for Outreach (and specifically a Habitat for Humanity Build) and $4500 for the Endowment Fund. This is the first gift to the Endowment Fund in several years. The Vestry of St. Mark’s established the Endowment Fund on February 14, 1983. The Fund’s purpose is “to maintain and enlarge a permanent fund for the benefit of St. Mark’s and its mission.” The Fund Agreement specifies that the Vestry, with the advice of the Finance Committee, will determine the amount to be distributed from the Fund for the use of St. Mark’s. The practice has been that 90% of interest earned would go into the General Budget and 10% retained. Because of the generosity and faithfulness of St. Mark’s parishioners it was decided that for the 2013 budget we would not include endowment monies in the general budget, but that we would confirm that decision on a quarterly basis. As of March we had an endowment of $103,033.41. St. Mark’s is the beneficiary of our parishioners’ faithful pledges each year, but we also benefit from those gifts that have been made in wills and at other times for other occasions (like our most recent gift). We have been able to make some of our recent building improvements (vesting room, roof work, and choir loft) from a Capital Improvement Reserve that we created out of a portion of one gift and the entirety of another willed to us. As you consider your own financial estate, please consider including St. Mark’s in your will.
In this Issue From the Rector .............................. 1 Vestry Highlights ............................. 2 Looking Ahead ................................ 3 Outreach.......................................... 4 Parish Life ....................................... 5 Christian Formation ......................... 7 Parishioner Highlights ..................... 9 Birthdays & Anniversaries ............... 10 Caffeine Ministry.............................. 10 ROTA .............................................. 11
And with respect to our present Mission and Ministry I am thankful to and for several new parishioners who understand that pledging is part of membership and who requested pledge cards upon joining the parish. If you are new to St. Mark’s and have yet to make a financial commitment in the form of a pledge please contact the Rector and she will get you a card.
My appreciation to and for each of you is immense. At the beginning of May we are at 127.21% of our Year to Date budgeted income. It is a joy and a gift to be able to say thank you, rather than help! EZT+
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