Dear Friends and Fellow Parishioners,
Our theme for this year’s stewardship campaign is “Be Thou My Vision,” drawing from the beloved hymn. We feel this theme reflects well where we are as a parish: seeking God’s guidance through these challenging times. Our trust in God is deep, and we are reminded to always share our faith in God’s goodness with others. Perhaps at no time in Ascension’s history has it been more important for us to come together and support our parish with our talent, time and treasure.
If you are already a pledger, we hope that you will consider as generous a pledge as possible in the new year. If you have never pledged to Ascension before, there could not be a better time to start. Your pledge of any amount means that we can count on your contribution to our financial life, and you may find that it deepens your sense of connection to the Ascension community. If you cannot commit to a pledge in 2021 at the moment, a generous one-time donation will be most appreciated. If you are not able to give financially at this time, we welcome the gift of your time, talent and presence. Please know that you can change your pledge at any time if your circumstances change; just contact the parish office.
We have made fulfilling your pledge (as well as one-time donations) even easier through Abundant Giving (NEW: go to ascensionnyc.org/give). We all must do our part. Our pledge goal for 2021 is $400,000 — a demanding goal, but vitally needed!
We hope the information below will answer your questions about how your pledge works to make our parish stronger, as well as sharing some of the wide diversity and vibrant energy of life at Ascension. Please note the important dates and activities in our Stewardship Campaign: the Commissioning of Canvassers on October 25, the annual Harvest dinner on Thursday, November 12, and the Blessing of the Pledges on Sunday, November 22.
Your Stewardship Committee and clergy welcome questions at any time about the parish, the campaign, and your pledge. We thank you in advance for your continued commitment to Church of the Ascension. With your help, our church will continue to seek and follow God’s vision for our parish.
Your sisters and brothers in Christ,
Mother Liz Maxwell, Rector
The Ascension Stewardship Committee
Eric Achacoso, Peter Clark, David Lehmann, Rachel Sedor
Join us in supporting Ascension
“Be thou my vision, o Lord of my heart,” says the ancient Irish hymn we sing (Hymnal, p. 488). Written at a time when fatal epidemics and other catastrophes were common, the hymn’s text reminds us that there is a way forward through frightening, troubled times. As the community of the Church of the Ascension, we continue to seek spiritual “vision” through worship and action, even as we experience our own times of trial. We invite you to join us in our quest and to support Ascension with your gifts of talent, time, and money.
Our response to the pandemic and our participation in the racial justice movement
- As a body of worshippers, we have continued communal prayer via regular online services in order to safeguard the health of our members.
- In our determination to serve, our Food Pantry remains open through the dedication of clergy and volunteers.
- Our clergy and laity have made concerted efforts to reach out to those among us in vulnerable circumstances.
- Trusting in the inclusive vision of God who made us all, we are working to eradicate racism and white supremacy in our hearts, in our church, and in our world, and to build a community of love, justice and equity.
Our message to you about financial support
- Our members have generously continued their financial support during the closure of the Church building, and average weekly participation in online services has surpassed our usual Sunday attendance.
- We know the pandemic has affected our members financially in differing ways. If you have been fortunate enough to have a stable income, please consider increasing your support for Ascension. If not, please help according to your means.
- Your support is not limited to monetary contributions. We welcome your talents and participation in our ongoing activities.
- Your pledge of support to Ascension now makes it possible to plan for the coming year, whatever it may bring.
Why does Ascension need my pledge?
- Even in shutdown our beautiful, old church buildings require constant maintenance.
- Our small staff and clergy have continued their work either remotely or on church property. We received a government loan to help keep the staff on payroll, but that has been expended.
- Since our buildings remain closed we are receiving considerably less rental income from those who use or rent our space.
- We must plan now for all our activities, in the hope we can resume them soon. These include regular worship, educational, and community services.
How to Pledge
Making your annual pledge to Church of the Ascension is now easier than ever. Please fill out the online Pledge Card including your name, address, phone number, email address, amount you are pledging, and frequency of payments.
Payment options:
- Pay your pledge by check placed in traditional weekly envelopes that will be mailed to you if you check that box on the Pledge Card.
- Pay your pledge by credit/debit card; check the box for the bookkeeper to contact you for this information.
- NEW!: Go to ascensionnyc.org/give where you can easily create an account, then choose your payment method and frequency of automatic withdrawals. If your Pledge for 2021 is to be paid by recurring payments, e.g. monthly, please make sure to indicate a start date for payments. If you include an ending date, you will need to create a new recurring payment for the next pledge year. If you don’t include an end date, you should still update your recurring gift to apply it toward “Stewardship Pledge 2021” with your new pledge amount by selecting “Scheduled Gifts” under your name, and then choosing “Edit” next to your payment information, as shown below. Call the church if you have questions.
