Stewardship at St. Paul's

Abundant God, you made us in your image and breathed in us a spirit of generosity that is both gift and response.  Move us, we pray, to give as we have received—abundantly, generously and joyfully, that our common ministry may ever bear witness to your unfailing grace. 
In the name of the Three in whom we are One.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church has been part of the fabric of Oakland for 150 years.  We are a part of a “great cloud of witnesses” who have lived our faith and served Christ, each other, and our community, through world wars, earthquakes, and pandemics.  The work of our hearts and hands is visible daily in our neighborhood.
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St. Paul's Episcopal School, founded by the parish in 1975, is a thriving member of our community.

CELEBRATING GOD'S GIFTS:
St. Paul's Annual Giving 2023

Faith, Generosity, Mission; Growing Together - St. Paul's Oakland 150 Years
We are extremely grateful to all who financially support the St. Paul’s community!  Your pledged offerings and other financial contributions represent the largest single source of our income, about 42%.  Other important sources of income include space use, investment income and our financial reserves.  In a few short weeks we will launch the St. Paul’s Legacy Society.  Members of this society are individuals and families who have remembered St. Paul’s in their wills or estate plans. Legacy gifts have funded both capital projects and budget shortfalls over the years.
 
We are mindful of the trust you place in us to be good stewards of the gifts you have given to St. Paul’s.  The chart below represents an approximation of how monetary resources are allocated, considering both direct expenses and staff time. 
The pandemic and the resulting isolation disrupted our rhythms of worship, service and fellowship.  Despite the challenges presented by COVID19 we were able to worship every Sunday, either online or in person, throughout the pandemic.  In addition, the people of St. Paul’s:
  • Continued to serve our neighbors through the Pantry of Hope, 80 clients bi-monthly
  • Provided back to school supplies for 90 vulnerable children (summer, 2022)
  • Removed 130 guns from Oakland streets through Guns to Gardens project (late spring, 2022)
  • Leveraged technology for adult formation through our Lenten series, newly formed Book Club and Sacred Ground work (ongoing).
As we emerge from/adjust to life with the pandemic, we are filled with hope and gratitude for the many blessings that we have received.  We are excited to resume programs for children and youth under the direction of Archdeacon Carolyn Bolton. We are thrilled to welcome Benjamin Bachmann, Director of Music, after a 9 month search process, and look forward to the evolution of our music program under his leadership.
 
Persistent inflation and turmoil in the markets have impacted everyone.  The church feels this too.  We are likely all feeling a bit nervous, but we will get through this.  St. Paul’s weathered the great depression, two world wars, two pandemics, earthquakes, and we still stand.  Through the grace of God and the unfailing faithfulness and generosity of our people, we have survived and thrived.  Please join us and give to our annual campaign as you are able!  We are rich in God’s gifts!

WAYS TO GIVE

MAKE A PLEDGE
Congregants and other members of our community can become sustaining members of St. Paul’s by making a pledge or gift to the 2023 Stewardship Campaign.

We ask you to consider these three steps:
1. Prayerfully discern your giving for 2023
2. Complete a pledge card, and return it to the church
3. If you wish to give electronically, you may Text GIVE to
​ 510 900 7759, make your payment(s) HERE, or give via PayPal​​

​Learn how to make your ongoing commitment.
If you did not receive a Pledge Card in the mail, download it NOW, and email it or bring it to church on October 23.

Questions? See Stewardship FAQs
Or contact stewardship@stpaulsoakland.org
MAKE A ONE-TIME GIFT​ ​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.
​

Bring your Pledge Card to church
​on PLEDGE SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23
AND join us for a celebratory brunch following the 10am service!

​You may also email your pledge card to finance@stpaulsoakland.org
​or mail it to 114 Montecito Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610

Telling the Story of Our Faith and Action:
A Narrative Budget

St. Paul’s is a diverse and inclusive Episcopal community that celebrates our tradition and history. In this narrative budget, we tell the story of our collective values and how they are reflected in how we allocate our revenue.  ​

How We Allocate Our Resources

St. Paul's Episcopal Church Expenses 2021; Total = $497k. $74323 on children and families. $73537 on adult spirituality. $63337 on our community. $53993 on outreach to our neighbors. $213383 on worship. $17986 on diocese and national church.
Our baptismal covenant calls us to action: to love God, to worship together, to love our neighbors as ourselves, and to strive for justice and peace among all people. We strive to align our budget with these values.

The dollar values shown in this pie chart are taken from the 2021 budget. The salaries and benefits of all employees are spread proportionally over the programs they serve, and administrative and facility costs are spread equally across all areas. 

St. Paul’s employs a full time priest, a part time administrator, music director, sexton, and housekeeper. The 2021 budget also includes salary support for a part time youth minister. This position has not yet been filled.​

REVENUE: How We Fund Our Ministries

St. Paul's Episcopal Church Revenue 2021; Total = $497k. $150k from pledges. $58k from plate and flowers. $65536 from space use. $25k from investment income. $128880 from reserves. $69141 from other income.
  • Pledges and gifts from members and friends make up most of our income: $208,000 in 2021.
  • ​Additional sources of revenue include rental fees for space use ($65,536) and investment income ($25,000).​
  • ​Historically we have had to draw on reserves to balance our budget: $128,880 was drawn from reserves in 2021.

We are entirely self-funded. We do not receive financial support from the diocese or from the national church.

Our Ministries

WORSHIP: $213,323

Happy young woman
“Worship for me has always been a centering force. It’s where I connect with those  who’ve gone before me and pray for those who are still here with me.The familiarity of the liturgy and the comfort of our rituals give me the freedom to just be in a busy and sometimes chaotic world.” 
​– Erica Terry Derryck

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES: $74,323

 Smiling family in nature background, with father, mother, and daughter.The McManus Family in Fall of 2022. Now there are four!
“I have loved being a Faith Quest teacher.  Spending a little bit of time preparing to tell the Godly Play story has given me the opportunity to pause in the flurry of my regular week and reflect on this little part of God's story, in a way that I probably wouldn't have otherwise. As a facilitator, I try to create a warm and welcoming space for our youngest members to ask questions and make personal connections. Volunteering with Faith Quest has felt like one of the most Episcopal things that I do--encouraging great questions, introducing our youngest members to simple and powerful rituals, and trying my best to model curiosity and empathy.” 
- Virginia McManus

ADULT SPIRITUALITY: $73,537

Smiling family on mountain top, with father, mother, and babyChildren and families are growing fast! Wesley's little brother Donovan was born this year!
“I was able to participate in last year’s Lenten series on race which was incredible and deeply enriching—I cannot stress enough what a blessing this St. Paul’s group was to me.” 
​- Katie Lauter

OUR COMMUNITY: $63,337

 Smiling older woman
“After my hip surgery, people from St. Paul’s came over with delicious food that I could eat on the spot and save the left-overs for the next day. Maybe even better than the food were the visits from people I hadn’t seen in person for over a year because of the pandemic! These visits were the highlight of my​ recovery time.”  
 - Alice Brilmayer

OUTREACH TO OUR NEIGHBORS: $53,993

Smiling man
“I am involved in the Pantry Ministry because of the example and dedication displayed by Deacon Carolyn.  As a Christian it is my way of Giving Back because I have been amply Blessed.” 
​- Arnett Moore
 Smiling mother with happy teenage son
“Providing food to those in need is so important and being a part of that brings me great joy. Contributing time and muscle to this work has become a regular activity for our family…and we appreciate the fellowship with other parishioners.  Food is a basic and fundamental need that many lack.  Seeing the smiles and gratitude on recipients’ faces warms the heart.”
- Lane Ceric

GIFTS OF TIME AND TALENT: thousands of hours!

American flag and rainbow pride flag flying above the church
The ministries of St. Paul’s would not be possible without the generous offerings of time and talent by our fellow parishioners. Ministry volunteers contribute thousands of hours per year. A few examples:

ALTAR GUILD
​VOLUNTEER CHOIR
USHERS & GREETERS
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
FOOD PANTRY, ST. PAUL'S PANTRY OF HOPE
SOCIAL MEDIA/WEBSITE
FRIENDS OF MUSIC (FOM)
BUILDINGS & GROUNDS
​CONCERTS
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
MONARCH BUTTERFLIES AND THE POLLINATOR POSSE
COMMUNITY OUTREACH & SOCIAL JUSTICE
LOAVES & FISHES
GUNS TO GARDENS
THE GIVING TREE
FELLOWSHIP EVENTS
COFFEE HOUR
FAMILY MINISTRIES/YOUTH & CHILDREN'S MINISTRIES
BACK TO SCHOOL SUPPLIES
FAITH-IN-ACTION: FRIDAY NIGHT WALKS
ADULT EDUCATION/FAITH FORMATION
ST. PAUL'S LEGACY SOCIETY
VESTRY
FUNDRAISING/STEWARDSHIP
ESL EDUCATION

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.