Annual Giving 2025

 2025 Pledge Card

Please use only one of these methods to make or change your pledge for 2025:

A. Submit a signed pledge card sent via the mail.

B. Use this secure and confidential form.

Sample Pledge Amounts

Questions about your pledge? Contact stewardship@ssecdurham.org. All communications will be confidential.

Blessed in Order to Bless

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways may be

known on earth, your salvation among all nations.” (Psalm 67:1-2)

Our Wardens, Treasurer, Vestry and staff are proud of you, our community, and grateful for the blessings you

have graced us with. In 2024, we’ve received 100 percent of the pledge operating income as at the end of

September and celebrated the completion of key capital projects, including the organ refurbishment, HVAC

upgrades, and campus improvements. We also met the unexpected challenge of rebuilding the administration

building and, thanks to your generosity, this project is on track to be completed by the end of 2024. None of

this would have been possible without your generosity.

We are truly blessed and look forward to 2025 with the theme, Blessed in Order to Bless. With the Formation

program guiding us, our 2025 Annual Pledge Campaign draws inspiration from the Psalms, especially Psalm

67, which celebrates God’s blessings and the vision that all nations may know and worship Him. It’s a prayer

of thanksgiving, recognizing God’s divine power and hope that the entire world may be blessed.

“May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. May the nations be glad and

sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth.” (Psalm 67:3-4)

The psalmist envisions a future where everyone recognizes God’s righteousness and sings for joy because of

His justice and guidance. The concept of God ruling with fairness and justice is central here, portraying a

God who is not partial to one group, but who cares deeply for all of us.

As a community, you have embraced this spirit through new outreach initiatives introduced in 2024:

 Breakfast ministry at St. Joseph’s, Durham: We support this vital service financially and through

volunteering and donations.

 Community Closet at St. Joseph’s: An opportunity to donate clothes, toiletries, and supplies to

those in need.

 Language Exchange with St. Luke’s, Durham: Fostering mutual learning and community by

pairing native English and Spanish speakers.

 St. Stephen’s Shepherds: A caring ministry ensuring all members of St. Stephen’s are supported in

times of need.

 Daughters of the King and Junior Daughters of the King. A ministry dedicated to prayer,

service, and strengthening our parish’s spiritual life.

Our ministries, both new and established, rely on your financial support, time, and talent. As they grow, so

must our income and volunteer efforts to support them.

Psalm 67 celebrates God’s blessings and envisions a world united in worship, praising God’s fairness and

salvation. It captures our gratitude and hope for a future where God’s presence is known and revered. God

blesses you to share these gifts for the greater good. Together, we ensure our community remains a beacon of

God’s love and justice.

 As we reflect on giving, we start with…

Gratitude

 We start by counting our blessings.


Everything we have and are comes from God. We believe our lives are deepened when we give from a grateful heart, not just by calculating our “fair share” but based on a loving intent.

Your past financial support has been crucial in the work of our church.

We thank you!

 The next step is to reflect upon God’s abundant provision with…

Consideration

We consider what portion of our blessings—money, time, our selves—we might offer to further God’s work in this world.


So, as we consider our pledges of support for the coming year ahead, we ask that you prayerfully consider increasing your annual pledge as you are able. There are also many needs in our community to which God is calling us to minister. Your increased support will allow us to do the work God has set for us to do.

Our grateful response comes with…

Trust

We  trust in God, that if we share a bit of what we have, we will not lose anything or put ourselves in a precarious position. Trust that we will be led, instead,  to the joy that giving of ourselves can bring. 


Giving as generously as God has given to us strengthens us for the journey ahead, no matter what the future may hold. We walk in faith and know that God is by our side.

Thank you for supporting St. Stephen’s!