Why pledge?
Just like your family makes a financial plan for the year, so does your family of faith. Pledging helps us plan and responsibly steward the gifts you share. If you have not pledged in the past, please consider doing so. You can either fill in the attached pledge card or scan the QR code to fill in your pledge online. There is no payment required with your pledge, this is strictly an expression of faithful intent and commitment to St. Andrew’s ministries. Thank you helping us plan the future of St. Andrew!
Ways to pledge and give
- Online: You can pledge or give online through our giving portal. You can create your 2026 pledge and set up recurring gifts. You can pay by checking account or credit card.
- Giving Envelopes: You can use church personal giving envelopes to make weekly gifts in worship or via mail. Please note: if you no longer wish to receive your packet of monthly giving envelopes, please let us know so that we can save the expense of printing and postage.
- Make a direct charitable distribution from your IRA or donor advised fund.
- Make gifts of stock, mutual funds, or bonds. Please reach out to bguldan@standrewlu.org for instructions.
- Make St. Andrew the beneficiary of an insurance product, 401k, or leave a gift to St. Andrew in your will.
Check to see if your employer offers a matching gift program.
Dear Friends,
Thank you for your partnership in the Gospel. Your generosity truly matters as we share God’s love with a growing community. We are building this church together—not just with bricks and budgets, but with relationships, faithful curiosity, compassion, and service. Our recent congregational survey confirmed what we have experienced this past year: Members of St. Andrew are feeling deeply positive and energized about their church, describing it as vibrant, welcoming, and growing, with strong trust in the staff and a renewed sense of momentum in ministry and participation. We are grateful to build this church with you.
Worship attendance is growing
We continue to see the fruits of the Holy Spirit at work among us. Our worship participation continues to grow, which means more people are encountering God’s love and grace. In a world that feels increasingly divided, gathering on Sunday morning has become a powerful sign of healing and wholeness. Through beautiful music, meaningful worship, and the simple act of being together, people discover that they belong. You are helping build a beloved community where people are known, welcomed, and cared for. Your gifts make this possible.
Children Youth and Family ministries are growing
Our student ministries continue to thrive, with Sunday School now serving more than 180 young people—forty more than just last year. Confirmation and high school ministries growth is measurable. We are all aware of the rising mental health challenges facing students today. The church offers something deeply needed: a safe, faithful community where students can be their authentic selves, ask hard questions, and know they are not alone. Here, faithful curiosity is encouraged and nurtured, and students are supported as they grow in resilience, hope, and trust in God. Your generosity is making a real difference for our students and their families.
Wednesday dinners are growing
Our Wednesday evening dinners have grown by 30%, and they offer a beautiful picture of who we are becoming together. On any given night you’ll see multiple generations gathered around tables—children learning what it means to live lives shaped by compassion and service, adults discovering wisdom through their children, and grandparents sharing faith and life stories with younger generations. This is beloved community in action, where relationships form, faith is shared, and servant leadership is modeled across generations. Your gifts provide a place where faith, food, and fellowship come together.
Supporting our staff
This growth is made possible, in large part, by the faithful and creative work of our dedicated staff. As our ministry grows, we are called to strengthen both our program and support staff to meet the needs of our community. This year, we anticipate investing more than $200,000 to support the growing ministry God is calling us into—an investment in people, leadership, and the future of our church.
These ministries—where God’s love is shared freely, where faithful curiosity is welcomed, and where leaders are formed as servants—require generous gifts of time, talent, and financial resources. We are deeply grateful for the many ways you already share of yourself, your wisdom, and your care.
As we begin a new year, we invite you to prayerfully consider growing your financial support for our growing ministry. Together, we are building a church rooted in beloved community, open hearts and minds, and lives of service. In all of this, we are investing in the future of faith—together.
In Christ,
Pastor Peter
Beloved Community
Beloved community at St. Andrew is not an abstract idea—it is a lived, daily experience. Again and again, members describe walking through the doors and immediately knowing they belong. As one new member shared, “It feels like home.” Another reflected with gratitude, “I didn’t realize a church like this existed… It was so welcoming, and the sermon was very meaningful. I always leave with something to think about.” These stories remind us that belonging is not something we earn—it is something we are invited into together.
Beloved community also takes shape around tables and relationships that cross generations. Whether at Wednesday night dinners, worship, or campfires at Spirit in the Pines, people consistently describe the gift of being fully present with one another. As one camper beautifully put it, “We arrived as strangers but left as friends.” This kind of community requires intention, hospitality, and care—and it flourishes when people are welcomed, noticed, and supported.
As participation continues to grow, so does the need for staff who can nurture these connections with care and consistency. The growth in our 2026 budget is an investment in people—pastors, ministry leaders, and support staff—who help ensure that no one is lost in the crowd and that beloved community remains at the heart of who we are building together.
Faithful Curiosity
St. Andrew is a place where faith is not reduced to easy answers, but where honest questions are welcomed and explored. One member described it this way: “I never feel like I’m being preached at. I always leave with something to think about.” That spirit of faithful curiosity shows up in worship, in small groups, and in conversations where people are encouraged to listen deeply for how God is at work in their lives.
Our ministry is filled with stories of people discovering that faith grows when curiosity is honored—whether through sermon series, book studies, or testimony-filled Lenten worship. As Pastor Peter wrote, faith is often nurtured when we step back, reflect, and notice “God’s healing work—gentle, persistent, and alive.” Creating these spaces for reflection and learning takes thoughtful leadership and careful planning.
As more people engage in learning and formation, additional staff capacity allows us to deepen these opportunities without burning out leaders or limiting access. Investing in staff for 2026 is an investment in a church where curiosity is welcomed, questions are honored, and faith continues to grow through conversation, study, and shared discovery.
Equipping Servant Leaders
St. Andrew forms leaders for service. This spirit is especially visible in ministries like Care Visitors, where volunteers embody Christ’s love beyond the church walls. One volunteer shared, “I see myself reaching out to church family members to make them feel included when they cannot attend church services.” Another reflected, “By meeting people in their homes, we are carrying out God’s word.” These are servant leaders shaped by compassion, presence, and humility.
Leadership is also cultivated across generations—from youth stepping into ministry roles to adults discovering new callings later in life. As one Care Visitor noted, “Everyone has a story. I love to hear their stories. I learn so much about how God works in all of our lives.” At St. Andrew, leadership grows where people are trusted, equipped, and encouraged to serve.
The growth in our 2026 budget reflects the reality that inspiring servant leaders requires training, coordination, and pastoral support. Expanding staff capacity ensures that volunteers are well-supported, ministries are sustainable, and leadership continues to be formed in ways that reflect Christ’s call to love and serve together.