Dear Saints of St. Peter's,

We are less than a week and a half away from Giving Sunday, November 9, 2025. On that day we will bring forward our pledge cards to the altar in gratitude for Our Shared Parish not as individual gifts but as an offering held in common. 

Each one of us loves this parish, that much is clear. It has been a balm in times of trial. It has been a community in times of loneliness. It has been a place of discernment in times of confusion. It has been a place of enlightenment in times of doubt. It has been a place to ask difficult questions in times of false certainty. Each of us have been touched by the Holy Spirit working in this community. 

In the lead up to Giving Sunday we have been sharing stories from parishioners about what St. Peter's means to them. Below are two more generously shared by one of our youngest members and two of our older members, just for you.

What a gift it is to be an intergenerational community with young and old worshiping together each Sunday side by side. The Church is the family of God, and families have folks of all ages and seasons in life. 

At St. Peter's, intergenerationality is one of our greatest priorities. To that end we intentionally expanded our offerings for young people in worship, formation, and communal events this past year. Our children's and youth ministry are growing incredibly fast. In fact, they are growing so fast that we are struggling to keep up with them! We have the incredible support of parents, grandparents, friends, and volunteers, and yet it won't be long before we will need to consider expanding our staff to keep up with this growth.

The only way we will be able to make that step is through the generosity and forward thinking of our parishioners. When you make a financial pledge to Our Shared Parish, you directly support the growth of our children's and youth ministry and so much more. 

So I encourage you, pray passionately, give generously, and thank God consistently as you discern your pledge for 2026. There are materials to help you in this journey below. We share the ministry of this parish, young and old, as one.

With peace and thanksgiving,

Derek

The Rev. Derek Larson, TSSF

Rector