As we gather around the table of communion, we begin and end with gratitude! We begin with gratitude for the grace of God, as it welcomes us to the table, but we also leave with gratitude as we share the grace that sustains us with others. Since we all have a place at the table, and it marks us as a family of faith, we begin and end Pledge Sunday with gratitude as well. It is a gratitude which shapes our stewardship and our commitment to one another.
As we approach Pledge Sunday on October 4, we are grateful for many aspects of this family of faith. We give thanks for its service and support of others. From serving lunch to the city employees, who tend to the streets of Auburn, to supporting our Jeffers Scholars studying for ministry, we celebrate many good things! We are thankful for the Ad Hoc Committee for Outreach exploring ways we can share our story with others. We give thanks for the Mission Committee supporting CBF personnel in Spain, building accessible ramps in Perry County, and planning a tailgate with the Exceptional Foundation. We are also thankful for the Capital Campaign for Organ Renovation.
Our giving has been steady and strong throughout the year, but we remain in a slight deficit year to date. Our property insurance costs have risen, and we face other increased costs. We continue to lean into our budget needs for 2026.
As we pause to give thanks, we consider our commitment to this family of faith for 2027. We encourage each other to give generously and regularly as we celebrate the good things in this place. We also support each other as we all give accordingly to what we are able to give. We begin Pledge Sunday in gratitude for what we have been able to do together, but we also end with gratitude, giving thanks for what is still to come! All the while, we are grateful for the people for which we share the journey of faith.
-Tripp