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As we begin our pledging season and the building of our budget for next year, we first reflect on the ways all of our in-person activities were paused when the Covid19 pandemic required a new way of being in community on March 13, 2020.
Throughout the past year we have continued to connect and care for each other and offer service to the world in ways that we hadn't planned on or imagined would bring the sense of community, meaning, and belonging that we have come to appreciate so much.
We worship together on Zoom each Sunday morning and provide time together in our online happy hour gatherings. Our poetry, buuk gruup, garden, and adult RE gatherings have flourished despite the safety protocols that kept us online. We are offering extra financial resources to those in need through our special campaigns and our ministerial discretionary fund. As spring begins to bloom, we continue to find new ways to be together. These ministries are possible because of you!
As we look ahead to the new church year, we are also faced with some hard realities. A significant amount of our regular revenue comes from our Montessori School lease and our special event rentals. Because of the pandemic, our tenants have lost much revenue and fallen behind in their rent. We have been closed to special event rentals for almost a year now. This has created a loss to our overall operating income, and we find we depend on the financial support of the congregation now more than ever.
If your current pledge level feels comfortable for you right now, we will assume you will continue that level of giving into the next church year.
If you’d like to give more, please know our entire community is deeply grateful. If you need to decrease your giving right now, we understand that and ask that you let us know so we can plan accordingly as we build our budget for the new year ahead that begins July 1st.
As our pledge season and Generosity Campaign rolls out over these weeks just ahead of us I offer my "Thank you" to each of you for all the ways you support our life together at Monte Vista. Each of our gifts matter, and all that we offer brings us together as we set out to 'Build a New Way' in the year ahead.
With love,
Rev. Maggie Yenoki, Minister
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