Scripture: Matthew 23: 1-12
Lesson: Church Failure
Blessings and grace to you all this week, the first week of November! November, at UPA, is Stewardship, so starting this Sunday you’ll begin to read and hear “asks” for a “pledge” for our budget year 2024. A pledge is not a donation! It’s a promise of what you will give towards UPA’s financial needs in the coming year. And then you have all 12 months to make good on that promise! Some things you should know as you consider your pledge for 2024:
- UPA is denominationally affiliated with both the United Methodist Church and the United Church of Christ. Neither of these denominates offer financial support to their churches – in fact we support them! for the incredible resources they offer in the way of social justice programing, community outreach, and organizational support.
- The UPA is, therefore, financially autonomous! This means that every penny we spend on salaries, mission, utilities, outreach, and education comes from us, its members and friends.
- Just so you know, our annual budget generally hovers around $600,000!
- While it is expensive (and maybe a little uninspiring) to run and pay for the business that is the United Parish of Auburndale, remember that the UPA gives fully ⅓ of its total income out to the community through outreach grants, donations, and funds set up specifically to care for those in need in our community. This IS inspiring!
So get excited for this season of giving and start thinking about how you and your family will support our church’s faithful support of our community!
See you Sunday!
Cheryl
Music:
Prelude: “Fugue in C” G. F. Handel
Anthem: “This Little Light of Mine” African Am. Spiritual
Meditation: “Eucharistica” Pablo Casals Marina Khankhalaeva, mezzo soprano
Postlude: “The Great God” Gustav Holst
Live Stream Information
We will continue streaming our worship on both Zoom and Facebook Live. Please share these links with your friends. Bear in mind that we cannot share the Zoom links publicly (to keep from being Zoom bombed), so please share it person to person rather than posting it on Facebook/Twitter, or other public social media. It’s fine to share the Facebook link broadly and publicly. For Zoom login information please reach out to Pastor Cheryl at cheryl@newtonchurch.org.
Note: that we continue to work on streaming as we make improvements to the sanctuary sound system.
Zoom Link: UPA Sunday Morning Worship
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81334929545?pwd=S1lsRlRmSnlkTUE0cHRlWWQwWUJndz09
Facebook Livestream Link: https://www.facebook.com/upanewtonma/live