The Canvass for 2024: Knitting the Canopy Together
We are thrilled to embark on St. Mark’s Annual Stewardship Canvass for 2024. This year’s campaign theme, “Knitting the Canopy Together,” finds its inspiration in Jesus’ call to abide together, echoing our unwavering commitment to nurturing community and spreading God’s grace and love.
Our Ambitious Goal: Our aim is to collect $1 million in pledges for 2024, supporting the continuous needs of St. Mark’s. This level of commitment is necessary to sustain our beautiful building, provide for our dedicated clergy and staff, and continue to offer opportunities for our parishioners and community members to connect through fellowship, music, Christian education, social justice, and other avenues.
When and Where: Our Stewardship Canvass will begin on Sunday, October 15 and extend through the week of December 3. We will be communicating from the pulpit and using regular emails, letters, and phone calls, where appropriate.
Ways to Contribute: You can make your 2024 pledge online here. For those who prefer to contribute in person, ask the clergy for a pledge card on Sunday or stop by the office to pick one up.
Your support is a vital thread in the tapestry of our community, and together, we can achieve remarkable things. Thank you for considering your contribution to St. Mark’s.
Why do I pledge to invest in Saint Mark’s?
By pledging to Saint Mark’s, you declare that you want to be a part of our faith community. Your pledge bolsters our mission, ministries, and programs and the wider Episcopal Church. It empowers us, together, to bring more light, more love, and more God into our community and the world. Pledging reminds us that all we have is a gift from God. We give out of this abundance.
Annual pledges from parishioners allow the staff and lay leadership to develop a budget for the coming year with more clarity about finances that will be available. And pledging provides you with an official record of your annual donations to Saint Mark’s for tax purposes.
How will my pledge be spent?
Saint Mark’s develops a budget each year. The largest part supports fair compensation and benefits to our clergy and staff. Your pledge also supports our efforts in Worship, Youth and Family, Music, Service and Social Justice, the Arts, Christian Education, Community Caregiving, and Parish Life. We pay to maintain and improve the building and, as needs arise and funding becomes available, undertake larger projects. Our budget covers expenses for utilities, trash removal and other services, required safety inspections, office and program supplies, and the specialized supplies to support worship and other church activities. It also covers expenses for insurance, legal advice, and technology.
Your pledge payments allow us to continue growing and planning for the future.
Choosing a pledge amount is a personal decision influenced by many factors, including your financial situation. Any amount that you can commit to sustain the Saint Mark’s community is needed and welcomed. Here are some factors to consider in determining the amount of your pledge in 2024:
- What makes you feel cheerful: “Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7). If you have chosen a pledge amount for 2024, and you are not feeling cheerful about your pledge, you probably have pledged too much or too little.
- Pledges made by other parishioners: The table below provides data from the 2022 Canvass. We are grateful for the generosity expressed in each pledge, and as the chart shows, every pledge is important to supporting the work of our church.
| Pledge Amount | Number of Pledge Units |
Total Amount Pledged |
Percentage of Total Pledged |
| $1 – $1,000 | 70 | $35,046 | 4% |
| $1,001 – $3,000 | 95 | $185,186 | 22% |
| $3,001 – $5,000 | 42 | $170,914 | 20% |
| $5,001 – $8,000 | 22 | $144,020 | 17% |
| $8,001 – $10,000 | 12 | $115,740 | 13% |
| $10,001+ | 12 | $206,279 | 24% |
| TOTALS | 253 | $857,185 | 100% |
- Percentage of your household income: Choose a percentage of your household income to determine your pledge amount. Use the Percentage Giving Chart (PDF) to estimate the annual pledge commitment that corresponds to various percentages of your annual household income.
- Your current pledge: If you made a pledge for 2023, that can be a good baseline for your 2024 pledge. If you can increase your pledge, you will help us offset inflation as the costs to operate Saint Mark’s rise.
How do I pay my pledge?
You will have until December 2024 to pay your 2024 pledge. Most parishioners pay their pledge through incremental payments made throughout the year (e.g., pay one-twelfth of the pledge each month). You may pay all or part of your pledge through online giving, check, via the collection plate on Sundays, automatic deduction from a checking or savings account, text message, payroll deduction or an employer match, a gift of stocks or mutual funds, or cash.
For more information on these options, click here.