"We walk by faith, not by sight," (2Cor. 5:7). St. Paul’s words to the Corinthians serve as our theme for this year’s stewardship campaign, and they beautifully describe life at St. John. We are a community on a journey, walking together in worship, in learning, and in service to our neighbors, trusting God to guide each step along the way.

Every fall, we ask each household to take one concrete step on that journey by making a financial pledge for the coming year. Your annual pledge sustains the everyday life of St. John: the Holy Eucharist on Sundays and Wednesdays, the music that lifts our worship, Godly Play and Adult Forum, pastoral care in times of joy and sorrow, our outreach across York, and the staff, utilities, and upkeep that make it all possible. Pledges are the largest source of support for our operating budget, and they allow the Vestry to plan the year ahead with confidence.

A pledge is not an obligation. It is an act of trust: trust in God, who has given us all we have, and also trust in one another. We, and the whole Vestry, take that trust seriously. Your gifts are cared for through a balanced budget, careful oversight by the Vestry and Finance Committee, and an open accounting of our finances at each Annual Meeting. We promise to steward every dollar you offer with faithfulness and care.

Above you will find our stewardship brochure, a Pledge FAQ, and our 2027 pledge card. We ask you to prayerfully consider your pledge and return it by Sunday, November 15, 2026. You may place your card in the offering plate, mail it to the church office, or submit it by email.

Every pledge matters, whatever its size. If you are pledging for the first time, welcome. If you are able to take one more step this year, thank you. And if you have questions, please reach out to any of us or to the church office.

Walking with you in faith,

Allison Kierce, Matt Conant, Megan Dietz, Fr. Eric Hillegas

Stewardship Committee

Means of Giving

While many individuals and families use cash for pledging and one-time gifts, there are other tax-advantaged means of giving that may behoove donors. Speak with your tax advisor to explore if the strategies below allow you to save on taxes, support the parish more generously than you would otherwise be able, or both.

1. Gifting long-term appreciated assets: When gifting appreciated long-term assets (i.e., those held for more than one-year), donors do not have to pay capital gains tax on the appreciation and receive a tax deduction of the fair market value of donated assets. While donors are limited to deducting 30% of adjusted gross income in any one year when gifting appreciated assets, they can carry over any excess deduction to the forward five tax years.

2. 'Bunching' gifts: By combining two or more years of planned giving, many donors are able to push itemizations above the standard deduction. This strategy provides the immediate tax benefit to donors and allows the parish to receive the gift 'ahead of schedule.'

3. Qualified charitable distributions (QCDs): Many individuals 70 and 1/2 and older are able to donate up to $105,000 per annum directly from IRAs to qualified charities. By distributing directly from an IRA, donors avoid realizing the distribution as income rather than making a deductible gift.

QCDs reduce required minimum distributions (RMDs) dollar-for-dollar for individuals who have passed their required beginning date; for individuals who are not yet required to to take a minimum distribution, QCDs will likely reduce their future RMDs because they lessen the current value of the IRA.