By Lisa Arbelaez, Stewardship Chair
Glen Mar needs you.
Those of us who are old enough to remember seeing the well-known poster during WWII – “Uncle Sam Needs You” also remember what that poster was about. To support the nation during a time of war, the government was calling upon its citizens to do their part. That might mean planting a victory garden; putting up with rationing of everyday staples; working in factories producing planes, ships, and weapons; or volunteering to lay your very life on the line as a member of the armed services.
Glen Mar is certainly not calling for you to lay your life on the line. However, we will be much more successful in our missions and ministries if we all do our part. Two areas come to mind.
Ending 2023, we were extremely grateful for Glen Mar’s generosity. Giving to the Operating Fund was strong, enabling us to continue the life-changing ministries we all love about Glen Mar. Giving to the Capital Fund has been unusually low for several months. Our capital campaign and unpledged giving has allowed us to meet our monthly mortgage payments, so there is no immediate or dire need. However, due to a shortfall in pledges for the Capital Fund, we are concerned about our long-term ability to continue to meet these “must pay” bills. While manageable in the short term, if not corrected this situation could present challenging funding decisions. If you are able to make an additional gift to Glen Mar, we ask that you consider making that to our Capital Fund. Remember that “2nd Mile Giving” on the first Sunday of each month goes towards this fund. Consider a gift to the Capital Fund from any unneeded “Required Minimum Distributions” or other windfalls. You can provide an estimate of giving to the Capital Fund at any time.- Since our return to in-person worship after the peak of the pandemic, our corps of volunteers to assist in welcoming people to worship has not recovered. The folks who serve as ushers, greeters, welcome center staff, and communion servers play a huge role in making everyone feel a part of the family and helping the service run smoothly. Yet none of these jobs are difficult.
Please take some time in prayer to consider what God is calling you to do. Your discipleship is built on devoting your prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness to the mission He has given us. It may seem that everything is running smoothly in terms of volunteers, but that is because the same people step up each week. Many hands make light work. When considering your gifts to the Capital Fund, consider how much additional you can give without reducing your giving to the Operating Fund. Both funds are essential.
We are so thankful for the faith and generosity of Glen Mar’s congregation. So much is accomplished through your gifts of time and treasure. We hope this article will increase awareness of areas that could use a little more of both.
