Stewardship

Awakened Through Service
Stewardship 2025

December 2024

Dear Chapel friend,

On behalf of the vestry, Father Sean, and the congregation of The Chapel of Saint John the Divine, we thank you for your financial contributions and investments of your time and talents to the mission and ministry of this parish in 2024! The Chapel is not just a building or a priest—The Chapel is a community of people, contributing all that we can to each other and to God.

We know that many at The Chapel and the community are struggling financially and emotionally. We have suffered through a difficult election season, and inflation is nipping at our heels. Inflation affects churches and nonprofits in similar ways to individuals and families. Two years ago, it cost $6,200 a week to keep the keep the doors of the church open. Today that number is $8,100.

That said, stewardship is not just about money; it is about mission. Stewardship is “Everything I do after I say I believe.” Because the mission and ministry of the Chapel cannot exist without your financial gifts, time, and talents, we must ask each of you for your ongoing support in 2025.

This year, we want to celebrate and highlight our service to God and the community. Your vestry is committed to dedicating seven percent of pledges to the Chapel to outreach. In 2023 and 2024, the Chapel partnered with eight different local organizations, supporting them financially and with volunteer hours, targeting a variety of concerns: food scarcity (Daily Bread Soup Kitchen, Eastern Illinois Food Bank), immigrant needs (ISCU, NAWC), domestic violence (Courage Connection), violence against women (RACES), LGBTQIA+ rights (UP Center), and environmental issues (Faith in Place), both inside the church and the greater world. Our time and our treasure have allowed these community partners to do what they do best.

In addition to those overt symbols of our commitment to loving God and loving neighbor, our music is also a wondrous act of ministry. Our parish musicians use their skills to engage all our senses in worship and nurture the faith of our members, as well as inspire and comfort community members through regularly offered services such as Lessons & Carols, and monthly services of Evensong and Compline. Educational opportunities for faith formation are also an important part of what we do, with offerings such as children’s Sunday School, adult Christian Ed, Confirmation classes, and the weekly Canterbury group for college students. These are just a few examples of our robust ministry, and there is so much more that calls to us in the future. All this good work requires the investment of your financial support and time.

How much? The Bible suggests ten percent of your income as starting point, but that may not be feasible for you. For some, ten percent is the minimum. Each of us must consider what is in our own hearts and what our budgets will allow. If you are able to increase your pledge this year, it is an important time to do so.

We are inviting you to: