Stewardship 2014

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

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Bob Bowsher The Very Rev. J. Mark Holland Pat BroderickSenior Warden Rector Junior Warden

Stewardship Statement

St. James Episcopal Church We acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the giver of all that we are and all that we have, and that we are

entrusted to be stewards of His gifts. We believe that, as stewards, God desires that we joyfully give

our treasure, time and talent to His glory. We acknowledge stewardship as a living witness of our

faith and the tithe as a standard of Christian giving. We will work toward tithing as part of our total

stewardship commitment and pray that the seeds of generous giving will grow the kingdom of God.

We invite you, our St. James family, to join us in this affirmation of stewardship — gratefully

acknowledging our blessings and giving out of joy and thanksgiving.

The St. James 2014 Vestry

The Very Rev. J. Mark Holland, RectorBob Bowsher, Senior WardenPat Broderick, Junior Warden

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OutreachA committee of 12 volunteers, the Outreach Committee dedicates funds representing our tithe to the community at large, focusing on assisting those in great physical or spiritual need. This year, approximately $65,000 was awarded in grants for food, medical services, shelter, and education, with funding from the general budget, three dedicated outreach funds, and part of the Easter offering.

— Shirley Young, Outreach Committee Chair

Day SchoolProviding a first-class, Christian education through the Day School is one of the most important ministries of St. James Episcopal Church. In fact, no other ministry receives as much support and commitment from our church as the Day School, whether sharing use of our beautiful facilities, the service of the priests and church staff, or joint maintenance and personnel costs, there is hardly an aspect of the Day School absent of church support. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, parents, and students, I thank you for your support.

— Trey Roberts, Day School Board of Trustees President

Center for Spiritual FormationThe Center for Spiritual Formation provides food for your spiritual journey, whether your appetite for the holy craves prayerful reflection or scholarly discourse, contemplation or action, silence or a joyful noise. Serving most Sundays and at other times throughout the year.

— Marsha Wade, CSF Board Member

Guild of the Christ ChildWe welcome new babies born to our parishioners by delivering a meal to the growing family, presenting a gift from the church, and offering encouragement to the new parents. Not only does this committee support members of our church community, it also offers another way of connecting with individuals and families outside of our regular church services. It is always well received by the new family, which is a gift in itself to our committee members.

— Nancy Roberts, Guild of the Christ Child Coordinator

Associate VestryThe 24 members of the Associate Vestry work to build and strengthen our Christian community through the ministry of hospitality. We host the Parish Pancake Breakfast, the spring Crawfish Boil, and the Fall Hospitality Party, as well as coordinating parish blood drives, and have representation on the Outreach Committee. The Associate Vestry is committed to the church, and last year had 100% participation in the stewardship campaign.

— deSha Carter, Associate Vestry President

Worship & MusicWorship at St. James involves all ages, and abilities of every kind! Parishioners are involved in reading lessons, leading prayers, serving at the altar before, during and after services — and opportunities abound for all ages and levels of ability and experience.

From the Cherub Choir for the youngest of singers, through the Treble and Adult Choirs, as well as the As You Are service musicians, an eclectic mix of sacred music of all types is offered at the various mid-morning services.

— Jason Hubbard, Choirmaster

Property CommitteeThe St. James campus covers one and one-half city blocks, including six major buildings. The property committee oversees all maintenance and improvements exceeding a basic maintenance threshold, and welcomes input from parishioners and staff for preventive care projects as well as those to maintain and improve our beautiful church home.

— Bob Frazier, Property Committee Chair

Ushers/St. Martha’s GuildSt. Martha’s Guild of 24 volunteers makes arrangements and provides hosting for funeral visitations, communicating with the family members to determine their needs and expectations about the visitation.

Funeral ushers provide a warm, friendly welcome during a time of grief, where most attending are first-time guests to our church home. It is a ministry of presence.

— Mary Sentell, St. Martha’s Guild & Phillip Wright, Funeral Ushers

Nancy & Ralph HubbardAfter thirty-two years in New Orleans, St. James went a long way toward making Baton Rouge feel like home. We were attracted to its location in downtown Baton Rouge, where its presence is felt not only through its beautiful architecture, but also through its “hands on” outreach programs that change lives for the better.

The five services on Sunday have something for everyone, and support a very loyal congregation. We believe that it is a privilege to further the Good Works of St. James by pledging. We hope you agree.

Rieta & Ben ReiserStewardship is a way for us to give back to God some of the many blessings he has given us. It allows us to reach out to those less fortunate than we are. This includes not only financial support but the giving of our time, talents, care and love of others. In helping others, it allows us to grow spiritually and improve our relationship with God.

Julie & Andy McCallThrough stewardship, we acknowledge that everything we have comes from God. Making a financial contribution to the church is one way we show gratitude to God for the many blessings he has given us. We were married at St. James seven years ago. At that time, we gave a weekly offering but had not made the commitment of a financial pledge. As we became more involved in St. James, we recognized the importance of making an annual pledge to support the many ministries that serve both St. James’ parishioners and the greater community. We make our annual pledge to show our commitment to the mission of St. James and its future. We encourage all members of the church to join us in making a pledge for the upcoming year.

2014 Stewardship Steering Committee

Pledged Offerings - $1,282,147 Unpledged Offerings - $198,428

Investment Income - $90,000Fees & Misc. - $252,746

2013 Total Income: $1,823,321

Worship & Pastoral Care - $602,512includes: communion waferscandle oil and altar supplies

nursery suppliesservice leaflets

attributable portions of salaries

Outreach - $163,953includes: special events

caregiving suppliespromotion and marketing

Music Programs - $134,037includes: organist, choirmaster,

paid singers and instrumentalistsmusic library and upkeep

Maintenance & Utilities - $463,422includes: keys and fobs

heating and A/C maintenancegarbage pickup and utilities

light bulbs, toilet paper, fountain care

Diocesan Asking - $192,000

Youth Ministry - $123,815includes: youth minister

portion of Day School Chaplainevents and mission tripCenter for Spiritual Formation - $63,116

includes: speaker honorariumsworkshop expenses not covered by tuition

attributable portions of salaries

Christian Education - $118,270includes: materials for CE classes

training and continuing edForward Day by Day

Vacation Church schoolpromotion and marketing

2013 Total Expenses: $1,861,125

Our BudgetThe St. James Episcopal Church annual budget is actually created in zero-based fashion, so that each item must be requested and justified, with each expense related to church and community needs for the coming year. Above is a translation of those hundreds of line items into a program budget where the costs are identified with the specific missions being carried out by the church. It offers a clearer picture of exactly what your contributions are supporting.

Return your pledge cardOur goal is to have everyone commit by making a pledge — no matter the amount. We are asking that each parishioner consider giving a pledge that is both responsible and significant based on his or her own financial situation. It is important to remember that no pledge is too small. Pledge amounts are entirely confidential, and each should feel free to give as he or she is able. Even if you are not able to pledge, we would still like to hear from you and ask that you return the pledge card, marking the “other” box and adding any notes you’d like.

205 North Fourth StreetPost Office Box 126Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70821

225 387 5141225 387 1443 fax

www.stjamesbr.org

In order to fulfill our mission, we need your commitment.

After your prayerful consideration, please:

Return your 2015 pledge card by mail or in the offering plate between now and Stewardship Sunday, December 7, 2014; or,

Use our online pledge form at www.stjamesbr.org or email pledge@

stjamesbr.org to register your 2015 pledge; or,

Phone our accounting office at 225-387-5141.

Our stewardship volunteers will gladly visit any household whose pledge

card has not been received by Stewardship Sunday, December 7.