STEWARDSHIP

PLEDGE COMMITMENT

Follow this link to the 2025 Rejoice & Give Thanks Pledge Card(pdf)  which can be downloaded, completed and mailed to the church office. As an alternative to printing the pledge card, you may complete your pledge using the online pledge card below. We ask that you prayerfully consider giving to St. John in the Wilderness in 2025. By pledging your support to St. John’s, you may be assured that we will continue to do our level best to proclaim and minister the good news of Christ Jesus.

St. John in the Wilderness Episcopal Church. 2025 Stewardship Campaign

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

As we prepare for our 2025 Stewardship ingathering, we ask that each of you reflect on the abundance that you have received from God.  That abundance can take many forms:  it can be the people that God has placed in your lives; the gifts of time; the gifts of talent; the gifts of treasure – the list can go on and on.  Consider the gifts that God has given each of you.  Then consider how you can use those gifts generously to help St. John’s advance the ministries of Christ.   

Our Stewardship program begins on October 27th with our ingathering scheduled for November 17, 2024.   

We pray that your giving will come from a deep sense of gratitude for the gift of our parish family and this community.  We ask you to consider giving not from a perspective of “what is my fair share,” or even, “what can I afford” but rather from a grateful heart.  Giving generously fills us with strength and hope for the journey ahead.    

We remind you of Matthew 13:18-23:

“Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

But what if this parable is not about who receives the seed or where the seed is sown, but rather that it is about the extravagance of a sower who does not seem fazed by where the seed falls, but rather flings seed everywhere, with holy abandon, and just keeps on sowing, confident that there is enough seed to go around, that there is plenty.  

God has blessed us abundantly, has given us everything that we need.  Let us go forward with holy abandon, giving to support God’s mission through St. John’s.

St. John in the Wilderness’ 2024 Financial Plan was based on revenue, including pledges, non-pledge offerings, and endowment earnings plus interest totaling $470,250.  Our budgeted expenses for 2024 are $526,618.21, and we began the year with a projected deficit of $57,368.21.  Based on current projections, we anticipate that our end-of-year deficit may be between $30,000 to $40,000.  We fortunately have a limited reserve fund to cover this year’s potential shortfall.  We, therefore, encourage everyone to fulfill and/or increase your giving this last quarter to reduce that deficit.    

St.  John in the Wilderness is blessed with a healthy endowment of $1.2 million and we have received around $52,000 in interest this year from that investment.  The principal of our endowment may not be used for our annual budget or for reducing the deficit – it is only for producing an income stream for the parish.  

Even with our modest deficit, St. John’s remains financially healthy with reserves and endowments, especially when compared to other Episcopal and Protestant churches.  To support St. John in the Wilderness’ ministries and outreach activities, we do need to take bold steps to sustain our financial health.  

We are asking you to consider two things for 2025:

1. Pledge.  It is as simple as that.  Our budget is largely based upon the pledges of the Parish. When creating the budget, we take into account the pledges that we have received as well as projected endowment income, also taking into consideration the record of historical giving. Because pledges are so vitally important to our financial plan, the Vestry has a goal of 100% participation in pledging.
2. Increase your pledge in 2025 by 10%.  Just as your household expenses have increased, so have the needs of St. John’s. Your increased pledges are necessary to sustain and grow our parish mission and ministries.  

Your pledges support our worship, hospitality, pastoral care, outreach, children/youth ministries, and adult Christian formation.  Your pledges support the clergy, staff, and volunteers who lead St. John’s activities.

Together, we are the Church.  God’s work in the world happens through our hands. Please prayerfully consider the abundance that God has given you and your family as you complete your 2025 pledge card. 

May God’s blessings be upon you

Jim Demay, Warden

Kathy Smith, Warden

Arthur Hancock, Rector

If you complete your Pledge Card online, you will receive a phone call from our Financial Coordinator to complete the bank information needed to set up Electronic Fund Transfer.

WAYS OF GIVING AT ST. JOHN IN THE WILDERNESS  

Placing a check or envelope with cash in the offertory plate during worship is familiar to us all and is always an option at St. John’s.  Alternatively, you may choose from a variety of other methods for your tax-deductible financial contributions. However you choose to give to St. John’s, please complete a pledge card so that the Finance Committee and Vestry may make informed decisions regarding our budget for 2025. Please place your completed (and signed) pledge card in the offertory plate during worship or mail it back to the church.  Abundance Sunday is on Sunday November 17th. Thank you!

Electronic Giving

To give one time or set up a recurring donation, go to www.stjohnwilderness.org, click on “Give” on the top menu and click on “Donate”, or follow the QR code below. Click on “Ministries and Missions”, and set up your donation. It will default to Credit Card, you can also choose to have it straight from your bank account, as an Electronic Funds Transfer/ACH. EFT/ACH is our preferred method, with lower fees. If you choose to pay via credit card, please consider adding 4% to cover the extra fees. We use Vanco Payment Solution, a premier company that is both secure and easy to use. You may also complete the back of the included Pledge Card (also available at the Greeters Tables upon entrance to church) with your information and place it in the offertory plate or mail it back to church. 

Automatic Bill Pay

Many financial institutions offer free ‘bill pay’ service on their checking accounts. Contact yours if you wish to set up automatic giving to

The Church of St. John in the Wilderness

2175 1st St

White Bear Lake, MN 55110-3462

Stocks

Giving stock shares can be an excellent way to support St. John’s and may save on capital gains taxes. Send your broker your written, signed, and notarized request to DTC transfer your stock gift  from your brokerage account number and title to 

Account Name: St. John In The Wilderness

Account 42723726

DTC 0280

105 New England Pl Ste 280 Stillwater MN 55082

Please then advise our Financial Coordinator Maureen Vruno of your stock gift, maureen@StJohnWilderness.org, so the sale and the proceeds requested..

Estate Gifts 

For an Estate Gift please contact the Treasurer. 

GIVING STOCKS

Giving Stocks can be an excellent way to support St. John’s and may save on capital gains taxes. Send your broker your written, signed, and notarized request to DTC transfer your specified number of shares of stock (s) [with each company name and stock symbol] from your brokerage account number and title to:​

Account Name: St. John In The Wilderness

Account 42723726

DTC 0280

105 New England Pl Ste 280 Stillwater MN 55082

Then email finance@stjohnwilderness.org to advise us of your stock gift, so we can order its sale and request proceeds.