An Opportunity to Not Be Missed
Dear Beloved,
If you missed last Sunday’s service, you missed a big announcement. I announced that St. Augustine has an incredible opportunity to have a Curate, a first time Assistant Priest. Through two grants totaling $70,000, a year for two years, we can provide a new priest the opportunity to serve and grow. However, the total cost of employment for this position is $90,000, a year. So, we need to raise $20,000 a year for two years.
The good news is we have already raised sponsorships of $30,000 of the total $40,000. We just need $10,000 to go before we can offer her the position.
Let me tell you why I feel we need an Assistant Priest. We are actively working on growing St. Augustine. Our mission is to be a Safe Place for People Seeking God. Part of our mission is teaching that God is safe. Most of the world believes or teaches that you must earn God’s love. However, Jesus did not teach that. Jesus taught that God is love and asks us to follow that Way of Love to return God’s love. People desperately need to hear this message.
Only 1/3 of Californians attend church because messages about who does not belong in church become louder than the voice of Jesus’s love. However, 58% of Americans report being lonely. We teach that All Are Welcome. We are called to share God’s love with our neighbors. And I believe we need help doing that.
Most of my time is spent running the church. I do not have enough time to evangelize. We need to evangelize to grow. The Curate/Assistant Priest job position has three components Evangelism, running and growing the Table Service, and chairing the HeART Center work. All three are meant to help St. Augustine grow.
The Rev. Betsy McElroy is a perfect fit for this job. She is passionate for evangelism and helping the Church break down barriers to reach the world. She will be an asset in starting the HeART Center because before becoming a priest, she was an elementary music teacher and knows how to integrate spiritual practices with art. Plus, she will be perfect for leading the Table Service. She most recently served for a year at the Belfry Lutheran Episcopal Campus Ministry with The Rev. Portia Hopkins where she helped young people find Jesus and begin attending St. Martin’s Episcopal Church.
I cannot wait for you to meet Pastor Betsy. You will be as impressed with her as I. Would you please consider sponsoring Betsy? We just need $5,000 more a year for two years. A total of $10,000 to be able to take advantage of the $70,000 a year ($140,000 total) grant. The money is not needed immediately and can be paid in installments. Please join in this effort to live our calling to be A Safe Place for People Seeking God. Invest in the future of St. Augustine so we can continue to thrive. Please call St. Augustine at 916-435-9552 or email me at pastoranny@staugustineepiscopal.com with your sponsorship pledge. Sponsorship cards are also available at the Welcome Counter for you to fill out at the church.
May God continue to bless you as you bless others,
Pastor Anny+