Dear Saints,
Last year on this date, I wrote to you about the financial health of OLMC. Our fiscal year easily surpassed expectation, with or without the pandemic factor, and put us on a firm foundation to deal with a year of uncertainty.
This year had a slightly different context, but a similarly exciting overall result. Although pandemic drudgery not infrequently dampened our spirit, we persevered in every aspect of our operation (including new aspects involving the local Walmart parking lot!). Against the encroaching darkness of the world, our light shone brighter than before and our parish membership and school enrollment grew as a result. To use a phrase that preexists my arrival here, people far and wide have come to experience the OLMC difference.
We don't yet have the final report, but our July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021 was a year of growth and health in every aspect of our organization. Beyond that, we’re forecasting further growth and continued health into the new year, not least because our school enrollment will swell to golden-era levels (it looks like we will average around 20 students per class, Pre-K through eighth grade).
The real story of our success is that, with great mission-focused staff and tremendous parishioner support, we have been faithful stewards of the resources God has entrusted to our care. More than that, I must say, we are seeing the impact of your being prayerful, intentional givers. Your giving everything you have and everything you are to God and for his purposes is enabling OLMC to light up the world.
I’ve included below part of the text you can find on our website that encourages our growth in giving intentionally. For more, please see www.olmc.church/give
Christ’s Peace,
Fr. Daniel
δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ
Proportional giving – to the tithe and beyond – is about our personal spiritual health and growth. Living the giving life is all about our sharing in God’s own life of total self gift.
Tithing is an act of worship: it puts God first in our lives and reminds us that everything we have is his. Tithing - giving God the first 10% of our income - is a real-life acknowledgement of the fact that everything we have belongs to God and is meant to be managed by us for his purposes.
Growth in the spiritual habit of prayerful giving to the tithe and beyond is a sign of a maturing disciple whose life is grounded in God’s generosity. When we commit ourselves in practical ways to this reality, we find our life’s meaning.
Joy comes from living the giving life.
Your giving honors God and helps further the reach of his mission at OLMC. Our stewardship of your gift is a sacred responsibility, and we will make every effort to honor your sacrifice.