Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, a full and perfect sacrifice to God.
– Ephesians 5:2
St. Paul's Giving Campaign
You, the people of St. Paul’s, walk in love by making our ministries possible, through the works of your hands and hearts,
and through your financial gifts. This document tells the story of the incredible generosity of our people, and how we have used all that you have given us to minister to each other and to the broader community. 
Gifts from members and friends make up most of our income. Additional sources of revenue include rental fees for space use and investment income. We are entirely self-funded, receiving no financial support from the diocese. We are grateful to those families who have made bequests that add to our reserves and help us balance our budget.
This narrative budget spreads fixed costs like utilities, facility costs and salaries across program areas so we can see those costs in action. It is based on the 2024 budget. Expenses are divided across six functional categories, shown in the chart seen above.
This year, we also tried to quantify the many hours of volunteer service offered by members of our congregation. Estimates of volunteer hours incurred by regularly occurring activities in each ministry has been annualized, with "support hours” (communications, building, vestry) equally divided among the five areas shown above.
With an estimated value of $33.49 per volunteer hour 2024 (per nlctb.org), St. Paul’s volunteers contribute over $300,000 last year. |
Please consider making a promise, or statement of intent, to support the ministries of St. Paul’s in 2025, downloadable HERE. HOW TO DONATEWe 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.
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WORSHIP $259,000 (45%)
Includes Clergy, Music Director, Altar Guild, Choir, Acolytes, Lay Readers, Subdeacons and Writers of Prayers of the People. Volunteer Hours: 5,500 hrs/year.
Worship is the foundation of our lives together. We are fortunate to worship in a magnificent, historic building and experience thoughtful, traditional liturgy. In addition to our regular Sunday (8:00 am Holy Eucharist and 10:00 am Choral Eucharist) and Wednesday (12:10 pm) services, St. Paul’s also offers Evensong (4:00 pm 2nd Sundays) and Compline (8:00 pm 4th Sundays). St. Paul’s is one of the few parishes in the Diocese to offer these services. Our worship is enriched by the reverent offerings of our staff and volunteers.
2024 Highlights
Includes Clergy, Music Director, Altar Guild, Choir, Acolytes, Lay Readers, Subdeacons and Writers of Prayers of the People. Volunteer Hours: 5,500 hrs/year.
Worship is the foundation of our lives together. We are fortunate to worship in a magnificent, historic building and experience thoughtful, traditional liturgy. In addition to our regular Sunday (8:00 am Holy Eucharist and 10:00 am Choral Eucharist) and Wednesday (12:10 pm) services, St. Paul’s also offers Evensong (4:00 pm 2nd Sundays) and Compline (8:00 pm 4th Sundays). St. Paul’s is one of the few parishes in the Diocese to offer these services. Our worship is enriched by the reverent offerings of our staff and volunteers.
2024 Highlights
- Requiem, Op 8, mass by Maurice Duruflé on the Feast of All Souls’ Day, 6:30 pm, Friday, November 1. With organ, orchestra and St, Paul's Choir.
- Advent Procession of Lessons and Carols on Advent II, 4:00 pm, Sunday, December 8.
- Special services during Lent and Holy Week.
- Hosted the Diocesan Juneteenth Liturgy, written by our own Rev. Dr. Mauricio Wilson and Jeanette Dinwiddie-Moore, with Rev. Deacon Alberta Buller. Bishop Marc Andrus,
- Celebrant, and Bishop Co-adjutor Austin Rios, Preacher.
- Prayers of the People written by parish members.
CHILDREN & FAMILIES $65,000 (12%)
Includes Mustard Seeds for younger children and FaithQuest/Sunday School for older children. Volunteer Hours: 700 hrs/year.
The goals of this program are to nurture, teach, and incorporate our parish’s children in the life of the church at St. Paul’s, and invite families and parish members to contribute, as an essential component of our faith and sustainability. A dedicated group of 12 adult volunteers, under the direction of Archdeacon Carolyn Bolton, works with school aged children of the parish each week during the regular school year using the StoryMakers curriculum.
2024 Highlights
Includes Mustard Seeds for younger children and FaithQuest/Sunday School for older children. Volunteer Hours: 700 hrs/year.
The goals of this program are to nurture, teach, and incorporate our parish’s children in the life of the church at St. Paul’s, and invite families and parish members to contribute, as an essential component of our faith and sustainability. A dedicated group of 12 adult volunteers, under the direction of Archdeacon Carolyn Bolton, works with school aged children of the parish each week during the regular school year using the StoryMakers curriculum.
2024 Highlights
- Christmas pageant during the 5:00 pm family service on Christmas Eve.
- Youth Sunday twice a year, when youth serve in all roles.
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service.
- Pilgrimage to Grace Cathedral.
- Family Picnic.
- Easter Egg Hunt.
ADULT SPIRITUALITY $65,000 (11%)
Includes supplemental activities to further adult spiritual development.
Volunteer Hours (leading and participating): 400 hrs/year.
In consultation with the rector, lay-led book discussion groups continued from 2023 into 2024 and were the backbone of adult learning outside of worship. Groups read “Voyage of the Dawn Treader” by C. S. Lewis, led by Pamela Buckingham during Advent 2023, and “The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism” by Tim Alberta, led by Paula Hawthorn during Lent 2024.
Includes supplemental activities to further adult spiritual development.
Volunteer Hours (leading and participating): 400 hrs/year.
In consultation with the rector, lay-led book discussion groups continued from 2023 into 2024 and were the backbone of adult learning outside of worship. Groups read “Voyage of the Dawn Treader” by C. S. Lewis, led by Pamela Buckingham during Advent 2023, and “The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism” by Tim Alberta, led by Paula Hawthorn during Lent 2024.
COMMUNITY LIFE $69,000 (12%)
Includes Hospitality (coffee hour, ushers, nametag ministry), festive potlucks and community meals, Shrove Tuesday pancake supper and races, pastoral care (visits by clergy and Loaves and Fishes). Volunteer Hours: 1,000 hrs/year.
Our community life together is enriched by hospitality, fellowship and care for each other.
2024 Highlights
Includes Hospitality (coffee hour, ushers, nametag ministry), festive potlucks and community meals, Shrove Tuesday pancake supper and races, pastoral care (visits by clergy and Loaves and Fishes). Volunteer Hours: 1,000 hrs/year.
Our community life together is enriched by hospitality, fellowship and care for each other.
2024 Highlights
- Ushers and Nametag Ministry welcome us to worship and help us greet each other by name.
- Coffee Hour hosted each Sunday by 23 volunteers.
- Festive potlucks and celebrations in September, All Saints Day, Easter Brunch and Pentecost, and whenever else we feel the need to party.
- Shrove Tuesday Pancake supper and pancake races.
- Caring for each other.
- Pastoral Visits by clergy.
- Loaves and Fishes Ministry provides prepared meals for parishioners with time limited needs.
- Pollinator Garden, part of our ongoing Environmetal Stewardship efforts.
OUTREACH TO OUR NEIGHBORS $63,000 (11%)
Includes the Pantry of Hope, Holiday Meals for Seniors at Thanksgiving and Christmas, Guns to Gardens, Stand ins against Gun Violence, Back to School Supply Drive, Christmas Gift program through the Center for the Vulnerable Child, and more.
Volunteer Hours: 1,700 hrs/year (underestimate).
Eliminating Hunger and Addressing Isolation: The Pantry of Hope
Supporting Children and Families
Working to Eliminate Gun Violence
Supporting Arts in the Community
Opening our doors to 12-Step Groups
Includes the Pantry of Hope, Holiday Meals for Seniors at Thanksgiving and Christmas, Guns to Gardens, Stand ins against Gun Violence, Back to School Supply Drive, Christmas Gift program through the Center for the Vulnerable Child, and more.
Volunteer Hours: 1,700 hrs/year (underestimate).
Eliminating Hunger and Addressing Isolation: The Pantry of Hope
- Provides 80 clients with 2 bags of groceries, including fresh meat and produce, twice per month September-June.
- In a joint project with St. Paul’s School, provided 350 Thanksgiving and 300 Christmas meals to seniors, requiring a large numer of volunteers (50 and 30).
- In addition to volunteering, the people of St. Paul’s and others contributed $29,265 in 2023-2024 to the Pantry of Hope.
Supporting Children and Families
- Provided Christmas gifts for five families with children through the Center for the Vulnerable Child with our Giving Tree project.
- Provided back to school supplies for 105 students in three local elementary schools, and 50 bags of supplies for students in local middle schools.
- In addition to purchasing and packing up supplies, the people of St. Paul’s made cash donations of $2,621 to this cause in 2023-2024.
- Supported St. Paul’s Episcopal School with well-below market rate rent for St. Paul’s House and space in the parish office building.
Working to Eliminate Gun Violence
- Guns to Gardens: In collaboration with Oakland Police Department (OPD), successful events in November 2023 and July 2024 removed a total of 147 firearms from the streets in exchange for hand-forged garden tools made from previously recovered guns.
- In addition to volunteering, the people of St. Paul’s contributed $16,270 in 2023-2024 to this cause to offset welder costs and purchase gift cards for those surrendering guns.
Supporting Arts in the Community
- Welcomed the Choir of Clare College Cambridge for a rare Christmas Concert, and Chanticleer and the American Guild of Organists for sold out concerts in July.
- Welcomed eight unique performing music groups for 18 concerts in 2023.
Opening our doors to 12-Step Groups
- St. Paul's continues its long history of welcoming Twelve Step groups every week.
DIOCESE AND NATIONAL CHURCH $53.000 (9%)
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 annual operating income, which helps fund diocesan and churchwide mission and policies, train and ordain clergy for local ministry, and provide legal and financial services for local churches.
This year, additional Rector time was allocated to this category as Fr. Wilson is active in diocesan and regional activities.
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 annual operating income, which helps fund diocesan and churchwide mission and policies, train and ordain clergy for local ministry, and provide legal and financial services for local churches.
This year, additional Rector time was allocated to this category as Fr. Wilson is active in diocesan and regional activities.