A message from Pastor Becca Messman about our 2026 stewardship campaign:
Dear Friends,
Last year, our theme was Grounded in Gratitude. We pictured ourselves as a tree with deep roots and wide branches: alive, flexible, reaching to heaven, and rooted in this community. That image still holds. But this year, we recognize something equally true: great trees do not grow alone. They are part of a forest, connected by hidden roots, nourished by the same sun and rain, strengthened by standing side by side.
We recognize all the ways the church has shown up for us in our times of need and where we, as the church, hope to show up in and for the world that God loves.
That is our theme for 2026: In Good Company.
When I think of this church, I think of the company we keep:
- Children in Rainbow and Godly Play, who remind us that wonder is a form of worship.
- Our community meal ministry, where 200 dinners each month find their way to hungry neighbors.
- Teens in IMPACT Choir and Youth Connections who can beat box, harmonize, and challenge the church to act boldly like Jesus did.
- The saints of the church whose funerals we have celebrated in this place with tears and laughter, that great cloud of witnesses who inspire us never to give up.
- The company of those we serve in Kibwezi, Malawi, and now at Bonnie Brae Elementary, reminding us that love knows no borders.
- And the quiet company of Christ, who promised to be with us always.
We give thanks that in this church, no one stands alone.
That is why giving matters. When we give, we place ourselves in the company of the Giver, the one whose nature is generosity itself. We join a long line of saints who received love, gave love, and repeated that holy cycle. And together, we make space for new branches to grow, new voices to sing, and new neighbors to join the circle of grace.
This fall, I invite you to make a pledge to our 2026 campaign. I ask you to dig deep, not only because our ministries need your support in these uncertain times, but because giving is a spiritual practice that roots us in God and binds us to one another.
May we continue to flourish in good company, now and in the seasons to come.
With love and hope,
Rev. Becca Messman