Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine:  
Glory to God from generation to generation. Amen.   
– Ephesians 3:20, 21

St. Paul's Giving Campaign 2024

Faith, Generosity, Mission; Growing Together - St. Paul's Oakland 150 Years
As individuals, we reflect God’s love for us through our works, wisdom, and wealth. As a faith community, we share our collective gifts with each other and the broader community, in furtherance of God’s kingdom on earth.

You make the ministries of St. Paul’s possible, through the works of your hands and hearts, and through your financial gifts.

This narrative budget tells the story of our collective values, and how they are reflected in how we allocate our revenue. A narrative budget spreads fixed costs like utilities, facility costs and salaries across program areas so we can see those costs in action.  

This narrative is based on projected 2023 income and expenses.

St. Paul’s Oakland: How We Fund Our Ministries

Gifts from members and friends make up most of our income. Additional sources of revenue include rental fees for space use, and investment income. Historically we have had to close our budget gap by drawing on reserves to balance our budget.

We would like to decrease our reliance on our reserves in 2024.

St. Paul’s Oakland: How We Allocate our Resources

WORSHIP $253,870 (40%)
​Worship is the foundation of our life together in Christ. Over the past 12 months we saw a relaxation in pandemic restrictions and a full return to pre-pandemic patterns and practice of worship. Whether leading or participating, all of us make our worship together a reflection of God’s love for us.

In addition to our regular weekly services on Sundays and Wednesdays, we also offer the monthly services of Compline (4th Sundays) and Choral Evensong (1st Sundays October to June).
St. Paul’s is one of the few parishes in the diocese to offer these special services.

2023 Highlights
  • Hosted the Diocesan Celebration of the Feast of Absalom Jones.
  • Celebration of All Souls Day, Wednesday, November 1, Fauré Requiem with choir and orchestra.
  • Participation in the choir has grown by 40% under the leadership of Ben Bachmann, Director of Music.
Many ministries add to the rich tapestry of our worship together: Altar Guild, Choir, Ushers, Readers, Writers of Prayers of the People, Subdeacons, and Acolytes. 

HOW TO DONATE

We appreciate all donations, and thank you in advance for supporting St. Paul's!

You may make a one-time gift or weekly, monthly, quarterly, timed as you wish.
  • CASH. Cash may be placed in the offering plate in a sealed, labeled envelope in order to identify the giver.
  • CHECK. Placed in the offering plate or mailed to the church office.
  • Electronic funds transfer from your bank account. You can set these up via our website or with your own financial institution.
  • Credit Card HERE or Paypal HERE
  • STOCK donations, a Donor Advised Fund, or from your IRA (Qualified Charitable Contribution, if you are over age 72). Giving via these methods can offer you additional tax advantages. Please consult with your financial professional or tax advisor, and reach out to admin@stpaulsoakland.org for more information. We will walk you through the process.
  • MATCHING FUNDS: Many companies will match donations for charitable contributions, so you can double the size of your gift! Consult with your Human Resources Department and please let us know if your company will match funds to St. Paul’s
Need help? Send a note to admin@stpaulsoakland.org
Please consider making a promise, or statement of intent, to support the ministries of St. Paul’s in 2024, downloadable HERE.

Complete the fillable pdf on your phone or computer, save, and email it to [email protected], or print and bring it to church any time.

If you prefer paper forms, they can be found in the narthex or obtained from the office.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING ST. PAUL'S! Your promise for 2024 will help the vestry plan resources to support the mission and ministry to which God has called us.
CHILDREN & FAMILIES $82,484 (15%)
​Led by Archdeacon Bolton and a dedicated group of 12 volunteers, we were able to offer our first year of regular Sunday programming for 17 children and youth since the pandemic. We have held several youth-led Sunday services, and have had a range of extra-curricular activities including:
  • Youth Day of Service on MLK Day.
  • Youth pilgrimage to Grace Cathedral in May.
  • Family picnic at a local park in August.
ADULT SPIRITUALITY $80,010 (14%)
​St. Paul’s had a robust adult spirituality program in 2023, led by clergy and lay members of the parish.
  • Beyond the Word: Book Discussion group was active through the program year, led by Pam Buckingham and Dale Trunk.
  • Wednesday Lenten Series: Growing in the Wilderness.
  • Monday Night Lenten Prayer: led by Pam Buckingham.
  • Reading Wisdom from the Wider World during Lent, offered by seminarian Paul Impey.
OUR COMMUNITY $66,720 (12%)
  • Weekly coffee hours and festive brunches on special days.
  • Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper and Races.
  • Loaves and Fishes ministry to those who need temporary support with meals.
  • A wild birthday party for Archdeacon Bolton (we all learned to “wobble”).
  • Pastoral visits by members of the clergy.
  • Cottage Dinners (coming this fall).
  • In 2024 we hope to develop a lay-led eucharistic visitor team to expand our reach to those who are shut in or otherwise in need.
OUTREACH TO OUR NEIGHBORS $53,874 (10%)
Our programs address problems of hunger, gun violence, poverty, and isolation in vulnerable populations.

Eliminating hunger and addressing isolation
  • Our bimonthly food pantry serves 80 clients per session, September through June.
  • In a joint project with St. Paul’s School, 50 volunteers delivered 700 bags of groceries to 350 clients at Thanksgiving.
  • 30 volunteers delivered Christmas meals to 300 homebound seniors.

Supporting children and families
  • We provided gifts for five families though the Center for the Vulnerable Child’s Christmas gift giving program (the Giving Tree), surpassing previous efforts.
  • Back to School Supply Drive: St. Paul’s parishioners provided 100 bags of school supplies to deserving students at 3 local schools. Parishioners donated over $1,200 to support this cause.
  • Well-below market rate rent arrangement for St. Paul’s Episcopal School.

Working to eliminate gun violence
  • Guns to Gardens: Building on our successful event last year, 40+ guns were removed from the streets at this event in June. The next Gun Buyback event is planned for November 18.
  • Parishioners participated in the Circle of Peace around Lake Merritt on Holy Saturday, ongoing weekly Stand-Ins and Night Walks, standing in solidarity with those who have lost loved ones to gun violence in Oakland.

Environmental Stewardship
  • A 2nd Monarch-friendly garden was installed and is maintained by the Pollinator Posse.

Supporting arts in our community
  • Opening our beautiful space for community, national, and international music events.
DIOCESE AND NATIONAL CHURCH $19,369 (3%)
As a member of the Diocese of California, the Episcopal Church of the USA, and the Anglican Communion, our congregation provides funds annually based on a percentage of our operating income. This helps to fund diocesan and churchwide mission and policies, train and ordain clergy for ministry, and provide legal and financial services for local parishes.

Thank you for supporting St. Paul's!
St. Paul’s is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, tax ID # 94-1243684. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law.