Annual Campaign 2025
All Things Made New
As we begin our 2025 Stewardship Campaign, I am filled with anticipation and hope for what you—by God’s help—are doing in our community. Our theme this year, “All Things Made New,” is inspired by the words of St Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” This is also reflected in a prayer from the prayer book used at ordinations, reminding us that “things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new.”
This campaign is of course about financial giving, but it is also about our response to the renewing work of God in our lives and our church. As I look around our parish community, I can see the many ways in which God is making all things new through you and your fellow parishioners: the prayerful and reverent masses in our beautiful church seven days a week, the food pantry and scholarship programs in Chiapas, Mexico, our youth and children’s ministries, the amazing choral and organ music, daily morning prayer online, and the hot meals prepared for our neighborhood guests just to name a few. There are challenges, to be sure, especially maintaining the three historic buildings with which we have all been entrusted and an aging pipe organ with a limited lifespan. Through the vibrant ministries and the challenges, together we are witnesses to God’s promise of renewal and transformation.
Between now and All Saints Sunday on November 3rd, you will be hearing from fellow parishioners during Mass and through various communications from our Stewardship Campaign committee: Charles Bonilla, chair; Sena Leikvold; Evie Coe; and Michael Cockerill. You’ll hear personal stories of how this community has been a source of renewal and hope in their lives.
As we enter this season of stewardship, I invite you to reflect on what this community means to you and how God is calling you to participate in its ongoing renewal. If you have not made a pledge in the past, please consider making a commitment this year, no matter the size. Each pledge, whether large or small, is a testament to our shared commitment to God’s work in our midst. And for those who have faithfully pledged in the past, please prayerfully consider increasing your pledge as a sign of thanksgiving for God’s abundance in your life.
Our Atonement community has a long tradition of generosity, rooted in the belief that all we have comes from God and is to be used for God’s purposes. Stewardship is an act of faith, a response to the grace we have received, and a way to participate in the ongoing work of God’s kingdom. Your pledges support not only the daily operations of our parish but also the many ministries that make this place a beacon of hope and light in our community.
The world around us often feels like it is stuck in old patterns of fear, division, and scarcity. But here, in this sacred space, God is doing something new through each of you. God is raising up what has been cast down and renewing what has grown old. Together, let us embrace this season of stewardship with joy and gratitude, trusting that through our combined efforts, God will continue to make all things new.
Thank you for your continued generosity and for being part of the Church of the Atonement. I look forward to journeying with you in the weeks ahead as we listen, pray, and respond to God’s call.
Faithfully,
Father Charles
The Rev’d Charles Everson
Rector