2021 Stewardship CampaignWelcome to Stout Memorial's 2021 Faithful Stewards Campaign. On this page you can fill out and submit your pledge for 2021, read the letters from our faithful stewards and keep updated on the current total pledges we have received.
Total 2021 Budget$454,414.47Total Pledges Received:$144,126.00The 2021 budget contains all of the budgeted expenses for the next year. It includes salaries and wages for staff, mission and ministry expenses, and maintenance and upkeep for the church building and grounds. This figure is what the Board of Trustees, Financial Committee, and the Administrative Council have deemed to cover all costs for the year. Below you will find a PDF file with a breakdown of the entire budget.
It is important to note that if the pledges don't exceed or equal the budget, it does not mean that we will not be covered financially in the coming year—many in the congregation go above and beyond their pledge, and many who do not pledge.
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Dear Friends,
First of all I hope this letter finds you and your family well and staying safe during these uncertain times. As you know, each year our church takes some time to concentrate on stewardship. Stewardship is defined by Webster as supervising or taking care of something, such as property or an organization. Well, I don’t know about you but I feel like God spends a lot of His time taking care of all of us. I feel like he always keeps his part of the bargain even when I’m off course not necessarily taking care of myself and my neighbors as he has asked me to do. A very wise man once told me that being a good steward to your church was an easy job. He recommended that if we paid the church first with our offerings before anything else that we would always have enough money to take care of us and that over time it would become easier to do this. He also followed up by saying that we would never miss the money that we gave to the church. Well, this man was a retired minister and at the time Paula and I were trying to make house payments, car payments and everything that goes with raising two children. I listened to him politely but was thinking to myself that’s easy for you to say. After his visit with us Paula and I decided to give this a try. Much to my amazement over the years we have found this to be very true. People that discipline themselves to give systematically to a church are helping their church sustain itself and reach out to the community and world in so many ways bringing the good news of Jesus Christ. Knowing this makes me proud to be a part of a Church that is always there helping people when disaster strikes or when people are going through any type of crises in their lives. During the next few weeks please pray about your financial commitment to Stout Memorial and I urge you if you are not a systematic giver to try something that has worked for me. Our giving connects us to God, the Source of all. Our giving also connects us to God’s creatures, especially to the “least of these.” That’s a lot of relationships! We can’t go out and buy a day or a month or a year of assurance, but we can respond to the assurance that God gives us. It is on that basis that I give and give regularly. I need a regular reminder that God will not let me go. “Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8) Thanks be to God! Sincerely, Wally Earnest, Chair of Committee on Finance Dear Friends,
Throughout the past few months, we as individuals and collectively as a church have faced many vastly challenging situations. I have found that the love of God and our church family has sustained me. The church members' continued support through their prayers, participation, and financial resources is a true blessing to Stout Memorial and each of us individually. We have reached the time of year when it is necessary to plan how we will go forward with the ever-changing new "normal." As a church and as individuals, our goal is to continue all that we do in worship, education, missions, local and abroad, and the many activities associated with this goal. Our commitment to these goals is the personal growth that we experience in being a part of the work and fellowship of Stout Memorial. Our commitment to these goals is a very personal decision. In deciding to make a commitment, you provide the church with a better means of planning our work. Whether like the directness of a commitment or you prefer to offer your time and financial resources, I encourage you to pray and look to the many biblical references to giving, tithing, and especially to the words of Jesus. If you choose to complete a commitment card, they will be part of a commitment service on November 15th. I hope that you experience the reward of giving to enable the programs of Stout Memorial to continue, but that you also experience personal spiritual growth. Blessing to all, Wes Bargeloh, Lay Leader |
Dear Friends,
When Nehemiah heard that the walls around Jerusalem were broken down he felt an overwhelming sadness.
He knew the walls were there to protect not only the people but the temple. He began to fear that the temple of God was going to be destroyed because there was no wall to protect it. He shared his concern with the king and was given permission to oversee the rebuilding of the wall. He said he found favor with the king because the “gracious power of my God was with me.”
Nehemiah 2:8
After beginning this vital work, he was ridiculed, he was threatened, he was distracted. Each time he found a way to stay on task. To one group of distractors, he said, “I’m doing important work, so I can’t come down.” Nehemiah 6:3, “all of them were trying to make us afraid, saying, ‘They will be discouraged, and the work won’t get finished.’ But now, God, strengthen me!” Nehemiah 6:9.
We are called to make a commitment to be a part of building God’s kingdom by supporting the church with our tithes, our offerings, our gifts. When we don’t support the work of God, the church falls into disrepair. The church not only protects the people but also encourages the people of God. It protects the story, the good news that is shared with the world through our witness.
When we make a commitment, we will face obstacles such as ridicule, distractions, or maybe even threats.
When these obstacles come, we must be like Nehemiah. Nehemiah felt called by God to build the wall. Nothing was going to distract him from that task.
Nehemiah’s commitment is inspiring. Most of us must confess that many times we have been distracted from what is important to us.
We have let the seemingly urgent get in the way of the important.
Discipline and commitment are two key issues. We are not likely to have the commitment if we don’t have the discipline.
A major reason I make a financial commitment to our church is my need for personal discipline. A financial commitment makes me look at all of my spending's. I can’t fulfill the commitment if I wait until the end of the month to see if I have something left over. I used to write my check at the end of the month because I feared not having enough.
I then took a step of faith and began giving my commitment at the beginning of the month. Just that little change has made a difference in my financial faith walk.
Next Sunday, November 15, the worship service is designed to consecrate our commitment to financial stewardship during the next year. Each of us will be invited to share our commitment card, declaring our giving intentions for the next year.
Next Sunday, we will celebrate the faith that has come to us through Jesus Christ by committing ourselves to the important work of building God’s kingdom. We will stand together against distractions. We will stand as one team focused on God’s work sharing our gifts as we are each called to share.
Pastor Cindy
When Nehemiah heard that the walls around Jerusalem were broken down he felt an overwhelming sadness.
He knew the walls were there to protect not only the people but the temple. He began to fear that the temple of God was going to be destroyed because there was no wall to protect it. He shared his concern with the king and was given permission to oversee the rebuilding of the wall. He said he found favor with the king because the “gracious power of my God was with me.”
Nehemiah 2:8
After beginning this vital work, he was ridiculed, he was threatened, he was distracted. Each time he found a way to stay on task. To one group of distractors, he said, “I’m doing important work, so I can’t come down.” Nehemiah 6:3, “all of them were trying to make us afraid, saying, ‘They will be discouraged, and the work won’t get finished.’ But now, God, strengthen me!” Nehemiah 6:9.
We are called to make a commitment to be a part of building God’s kingdom by supporting the church with our tithes, our offerings, our gifts. When we don’t support the work of God, the church falls into disrepair. The church not only protects the people but also encourages the people of God. It protects the story, the good news that is shared with the world through our witness.
When we make a commitment, we will face obstacles such as ridicule, distractions, or maybe even threats.
When these obstacles come, we must be like Nehemiah. Nehemiah felt called by God to build the wall. Nothing was going to distract him from that task.
Nehemiah’s commitment is inspiring. Most of us must confess that many times we have been distracted from what is important to us.
We have let the seemingly urgent get in the way of the important.
Discipline and commitment are two key issues. We are not likely to have the commitment if we don’t have the discipline.
A major reason I make a financial commitment to our church is my need for personal discipline. A financial commitment makes me look at all of my spending's. I can’t fulfill the commitment if I wait until the end of the month to see if I have something left over. I used to write my check at the end of the month because I feared not having enough.
I then took a step of faith and began giving my commitment at the beginning of the month. Just that little change has made a difference in my financial faith walk.
Next Sunday, November 15, the worship service is designed to consecrate our commitment to financial stewardship during the next year. Each of us will be invited to share our commitment card, declaring our giving intentions for the next year.
Next Sunday, we will celebrate the faith that has come to us through Jesus Christ by committing ourselves to the important work of building God’s kingdom. We will stand together against distractions. We will stand as one team focused on God’s work sharing our gifts as we are each called to share.
Pastor Cindy