Annual Stewardship Campaign:
The Next Faithful Step
“And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21)
Dear Friend,
It is clear to us that Middleton Community Church has set out on a Holy Adventure. No, we’re not climbing the Rockies, or boarding a raft down the Mississippi, or even packing the car for a road trip to Camp Balsams. It’s a much slower journey. This is a truly Holy Adventure. We’re following God with no real knowledge of where we’ll end up. It is an adventure that requires patience, attentiveness, and a whole lot of faith.
The Path We’re On
Our stewardship theme this year features the image of a labyrinth and the words, The Next Faithful Step - our mantra for the year ahead. Usually printed on large canvases, etched into flooring, or defined by landscaping, labyrinths consist of one long path wrapped around itself. While it might not be apparent on first glance there is only one way in and one way out. You won’t get lost. But to follow the path you have to focus your attention - you can’t take in the whole thing at once. Instead you take one step at a time with the faith that you will end up where God intends for you to be.
As we set out on this Holy Adventure, the scripture from Isaiah is a reminder of God’s presence on our journey: “And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Where We’ve Been
Last year MCC committed to the sacred work of community building: for our church, for our neighbors, and for a more just and generous world. We asked all members to prayerfully consider increasing their pledge by a significant 10-12%. The response was overwhelming! We were able to fully fund an aspirational budget that reflected our growth and our hopes for the future. Here’s just a taste of everything that happened at MCC because of your generosity:
Within our church we got to know one another again and settled back into the familiar space of in-person worship. We continued to extend our inclusive welcome to those who aren’t able to gather in-person by enhancing our livestream capabilities with new wall mounted cameras and a bolstered AVL team. Over the summer, the Memorial Garden was given a much needed refresh. We’ve worshiped together, grieved and celebrated together, and had fun together in every season. As a bonus, since the writing of last year’s stewardship letter we’ve welcomed 24 new voting members with nine children into official membership at MCC.
In the neighborhood we committed to nurturing our relationships with Madison Area Food Pantry Garden’s Forward Garden, Pope Farm Elementary, and the Elderberry Neighborhood Association, culminating in Neighbor Day - a wildly successful day of service and fellowship. Conversations with the neighborhood association resulted in a local Eagle Scout project that added new paths, trees, and benches in the meadow and along the bike path. And in September we hosted a concert featuring a nine-piece Latin Jazz band that literally brought our neighbors out their front doors to dance with us on the church lawn.
Striving for a more just and generous world, MCC significantly increased our budget last year in two areas: staff wages and mission giving. As a result we were poised to respond with confidence and creativity when faced with unexpected staff transitions. We’ve welcomed a new Interim Faith Formation Director, Emily Kaddatz, who comes to us with a deep faith, a passion for inclusive church, and the courage to always be learning something new. In August, The Rev. Dr. Michael Bausch was hired to a very part-time role as our new Ministry Associate. Mike will be spending his time at MCC collaborating with Pastor Zayna in leading worship and consulting with the staff and Board of Worship. His presence offers years of wisdom and a little breathing space for Pastor Zayna to attend to this Holy Adventure we’re on.
Where We’re Going
Our outreach has not gone unnoticed. We’ve received invitations to continue growing in our relationships with and support of the community, and look forward to sharing many of those with you in the year ahead. This year’s budget is built around the call to move consistently forward in the way God is calling MCC.
One of the invitations we’ve already answered is to participate in Awaken Dane. This is a movement of churches awakening to God’s call, forming life-giving friendships and partnerships, and growing in love for their neighbors. Our small team of five dedicated volunteers are participating in a two year cohort with other congregations around Dane County. Together they are continuing to explore new ways for MCC to reach out to our community.
Here are a few of the next faithful steps showing up in our 2024 budget:
The Board of Membership and Fellowship is exploring ways to make Fellowship Hall a more comfortable and inviting place.
The Board of Finance is hiring a part-time bookkeeper. Our growing church requires increased administration. This position will alleviate some of the workload of our extremely talented and busy Office Manager so that she can work at the top of her abilities.
The Board of Worship has increased our talented Music Director’s hours so that she can continue to cultivate a wide variety of inspiring music on a weekly basis.
The Board of Membership and Fellowship has added “Neighbor Day” to their budget, hoping this successful event will grow in the year to come!
In the midst of all this, and given our current financial strength and generous congregation, we are excited and open to hearing God’s still speaking voice saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Knowing that we’re on this Holy Adventure together, we ask that each member of our congregation prayerfully consider increasing their pledge by 5%. If you have not pledged before, this is an opportunity to support ongoing church operations and our next faithful steps on this journey. Here are two tools to aid in your discernment: a Proportional Giving Table based on income, and a Step Chart showing the levels of giving across our congregation.
It is critical that every member submit your pledge, whether they plan to give in person or electronically, so that we can accurately plan our budget. To submit your pledge, please click below:
We encourage you to return your pledge at your earliest convenience. If you wish to mail a pledge card to the church, please print this Pledge Card. We hope to receive all pledges by Stewardship Sunday, November 12.
The Stewardship Committee
Brook DesRivieres, Kristin Friel, Liz Fritz, Bill Love, Alin Pop-Vicas, Sarah Sund, and Pastor Zayna Thomley
Helpful Links
2024 Stewardship Pledge Form (online) [PDF]
Download a paper copy of the form [PDF]. Contact the church office if you need a paper copy mailed to you.
EFT/ACH Authorization Form [PDF]
Proportional Giving Table [PDF]
Grow One Step Graphic [PDF]