Stewardship 2024
Going Forward in Spirit
~ Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the spirit ~
Dear Member of the St. James Community,
What a blessing it is to be in community with you at St. James’s. Our parish life together nourishes us as a community, and increasingly extends a welcoming presence in the Porter Square neighborhood. Now that Ordinary Time is coming to an end and Advent approaches, it is time for us to prepare for the coming year. To that end, we invite you to join us in making a pledge of financial support to sustain the many things we value in St. James’s as we go forth in spirit together.
There is much to be grateful for in our St. James’s community. With sunlight streaming through the stained glass windows, St. James’s historic sanctuary invites us to gather for worship each Sunday. We are nourished by our worship together as we pray with friends and newcomers, raise our voices in song, and experience God’s presence in communion with each other.
Our new parish hall allows us to gather in fellowship after Sunday service and for shared meals throughout the year. It provides space for the critical work of the Helping Hand Food Pantry – feeding 100 families each week – and a home base for the Outdoor Church and its ministry to folks in the Porter Square area. With poetry readings, music events, film showings, and visual arts, our parish hall is the welcoming and expansive space we’ve dreamed of for so many years.
We value our new courtyard that not only connects our parish building with our sanctuary but also extends an invitation to our neighbors who have joined us for the Lemonade on the Lawn music series and St. James’s annual neighborhood fair. On any given day, one can witness passersby stopping for a rest on a bench, chatting with friends at a table or playing with children on the grass. Our courtyard is a welcome new green space in Porter Square.
Our pledges support Reverend Matt Stewart’s leadership, Pat Michaels’s music ministry, Hong Chin’s stewardship of our grounds and Sue Grundy’s administrative support. They allow Matt and the Vestry to plan and deliver the many ministries and activities that will sustain St. James’s spiritual life and social outreach in the coming year.
As we go forth in spirit, thank you for considering a generous pledge to support the community of St. James’s in the coming year. Please use the attached pledge form for your 2024 pledge which you can drop in the pledge box at Church or email to pledgerecorder@stjamescambridge.org. Or go online to www.stjamescambridge.org and click on “Pledge Here.”
In loving fellowship,
St. James’s Stewardship Committee for 2024,
John Irvine (Chair), Matthew Abbate, Judy Beers, Jane Hirschi, Peter Merrell, Tamasin Wohlers, and Jeff Zinsmeyer
Printable and online pledge forms are here: