STEWARDSHIP 2024

Imagine Together

…the theme of our upcoming stewardship campaign. This is the time in church life when we talk about money and make plans for the upcoming year. Sometimes it's uncomfortable talking about money. Other times, it is just a matter of fact and we must have that discussion.

FACT: We own a home. A very big home. A very big, very old home. Things need maintaining, replacing, repairing, upgrading. We have monthly bills: internet, phone, trash, water, gas, electricity, to name a few. Sound familiar? That’s just the building.

We employ people to work in this building. We pay salaries, benefits, housing allotments. And then, we have programs and ministries that are run and supported by volunteers, but those programs have costs: church school curriculum, music, piano tuning, organ repair, printing, etc.

Over the next few weeks, you will receive information in the mail about our stewardship drive. We will hear from the different boards of the church: Christian Education, Diaconate, Mission, and Trustees; and they will ask us to Imagine with them what their programs have the potential to be. What can we do with more money? What can we do with more volunteers or staff? What can we do with more time? Imagine.

Imagine our house, this house filled every Sunday.

Imagine that we have enough money to pay our bills, our staff, our programs and…enough money to do more. Not just maintain, but to actually do more. Imagine.

I hope you will join me in thoughtfully and prayerfully considering what part you will play in creating a budget for next year that will allow us to not just take up space on the corner of Mission Inn and Lemon, but actually be a valuable presence in downtown Riverside. To be a Beacon of Hope. We have the building. We have some great people. Let’s imagine together, our future here. Shall we?

Thanks