Dear St. Thomas’s family,
We hope the Christmas spirit is alive and well in your home. In case you missed Father Howie’s Christmas letter in your mailbox, we are pleased to share his eloquent Christmas letter from the Rector. We hope you can join us with friends and family on Christmas, and we hope you will consider making a Christmas gift to help with ministries at St. Thomas’s.
Christmas gifts are needed to help balance our Budget and December is the end of our financial year.
As Father Howie says, “We welcome everyone to join in that mission regardless of who they are, where they are in their journey of faith, or what mix of gifts they bring. We need everyone! But we also need the resources to enable everyone to make the most of her or his ministry.”
“And so, I ask that you consider giving a Christmas gift to St. Thomas’s. If you have already given all that you can this year, please do not worry or feel guilty. Instead, I ask for your prayers for the ministries of our church. If, on the other hand, you can give a special Christmas offering, know that your gift will be received gratefully and applied faithfully to the work we all wish to continue. There are a number of ways to give, including the envelope enclosed with the letter mailed to our homes or through our secure on-line donation option. A gift of your time and skill would also be most welcome.”
Here are some ways to give your Christmas gift:
(1) Give via the parish’s online giving site.
(2) Give by check: Write “Christmas Gift” on the memo line and mail or bring your check to St. Thomas’s Episcopal Parish, 276 S. College Ave., Newark DE 19711.
(3) Visit your bank’s website, identify St. Thomas’s Parish as a payee, enter “Christmas Gift” in the memo line, and send your gift.
(4) Donate appreciated securities from your brokerage account. Contact Amy Keach, Treasurer, at iloveoregon@hotmail.com for details.
(5) If you are over the age of 70 ½, you may use your IRA tax-free to make a qualified charitable contribution (QCD). Contact Amy Keach or your tax advisor for details.
We hope you can join us with friends and family on Christmas, and we hope you will consider making a Christmas gift.