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The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer
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Rector's Blog: When Money Talks

This blog is also available as a podcast

I want to warn you right out of the gates that I’m about to talk about money. Before you shut down completely, please know that I won’t be asking you for any money today. I reserve the right to ask you for money at another time. But today I will not be asking. Just talking. Talking about money has the capacity to make people feel very uncomfortable – especially in the context of their faith. And I understand that: we have all seen religious hucksters who tell us that how we give is tied directly to how we’re blessed. This is tender territory. But I have a story to tell about money, and it’s really about connection and love.

Over the last couple years, during this pandemic, it has been really difficult to know who is staying connected to our church community. We did not have regular gathered worship indoors for 15 months, then for several months after that, our worship services were severely limited by COVID protocols. Many parishioners were not ready to return to in-person worship based on their risk tolerance. Some others did not want to be required to mask at church. We have people across the spectrum at our church. Some members asked me to relax our protocols, while others told me to consider requiring proof of vaccination for entry to the building. At any rate, it was not always clear who was still calling Church of the Redeemer their community.

Then last fall we began our Annual Giving campaign. For the uninitiated, this is the time of year when we ask the members of our community to make financial commitments for the following year so that we can set our budget. We are a church, which means we are a non-profit organization. Our budget depends, then, on donations. And particularly on donations from people who call themselves members of our church. We do not have any giving requirements, no membership dues. All giving is voluntary. So, each year, we work on our budget for the following year, and we ask people to tell us how much they plan to give for that year. And last year something really powerful and beautiful happened.

We raised more money than we ever had before.

I don’t know how to say that without sounding like I’m bragging. And I just don’t mean it that way. I’m telling you for a different reason. I’m telling you because all the other ways we had grown accustomed to knowing if we were part of people’s lives had changed so drastically. Churches tend to look at the pews on Sundays to gauge if they’re doing alright. But that was not a clear indication of anything in 2021.As the leader of this church, my usual ways of taking the temperature of the community were useless. And then it was time to ask people to make their financial commitments (often called a pledge) for 2022.

It’s worth noting that pledged giving makes up over 2/3rd of the Church of the Redeemer’s budget. Our church has investments, the income from which is restricted to use in support of property upkeep and mission ministries. Everything else we do, all the ministries we undertake, and the lay and ordained ministers we employ are paid for by the financial commitment of the people who call Redeemer home. So I was justifiably anxious going into the fall last year. Our ability to run this organization directly depends on people believing they should invest in us as a community.

And last year our people spoke loudly and clearly: This is our church, we believe in it, we support it, we are excited for our shared future. The maxim “money talks” is often used for cynical purposes, but in this case, money talked and it was a blessing. Our community looks different than it did 2 years ago, it operates differently, and we connect differently. We are still getting accustomed to all these changes. We are still grieving the loss of community as we knew it prior to 2020. And we are still learning what the next chapter of our shared life will look and feel like.

If you are reading this, it matters that you understand you are essential to the life and vitality of your church. You may not even be a member of Redeemer, maybe you’re in a different state, a different denomination, maybe you belong to a synagogue or a mosque. But if you are part of a faith community, your presence and involvement in ministry matters, your heart and soul matter, and your financial commitment matters. It is a very practical way for you to support ministries that change lives. And this is a year where your gift will be especially important, as faith communities everywhere seek to account for the significant increase in cost-of-living and inflation.

Your financial commitment talks. It is a statement. And I want to be clear about this: I don’t mean it’s your way of voicing approval or disapproval. I’m not saying if you think things are going well, increase your gift, and if you’re annoyed it’s not like you’d hoped it would be, decrease your gift. As one wise parishioner used to say to me every year, “It’s a tithe, not a tip.” I’m saying your gift says you care, that this is your place, that you are invested in what it will become, that you are serious about participating in the transformation of people’s lives. When you give to your church, you make a huge difference, and you remind yourself that in fact, it’s your community.


Tags: Rector's Blog

Sermons

  • Mar 20 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    The Present Past
  • Mar 12 | Tym House
    Direct Access to Grace
  • Mar 6 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Being Righteous
  • Feb 27 | The Rev. Melanie W. J. Slane
    Two Sides of the Same Coin
  • Feb 20 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Superman Transfigured

Rector's Blog

  • Mar 24 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Rector's Blog, When God Feels Like It
  • Mar 17 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Rector's Blog, But Through Me
  • Mar 10 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Rector's Blog, Conversions - Part 2
  • Mar 3 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Rector's Blog, Conversions - Part 1
  • Feb 24 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Rector's Blog, Better Not Easier

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2944 Erie Ave. · Cincinnati, OH 45208
(513) 321-6700
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The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer
2944 Erie Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45208

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(513) 321-6700

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Welcome Children Service Times Membership Contact Us

Welcome to Church of the Redeemer! We invite and welcome ALL to join us in worship and community. In addition to worship, we have a vibrant music community, a fun and welcoming community for children and youth, plus offerings for everyone from young adults to seniors, covering many varied interests.

The Rev. Philip DeVaul, Rector

WHAT WE BELIEVE

We love children, and children love Church of the Redeemer!

Children are at the heart of life at Church of the Redeemer. Children learn about the word of God through our Children's Christian Education programs; they are involved in worship services, they play music in our services, and they form lifelong friendships with each other through their experiences.

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On Sundays we have an 8:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite I service, a 9:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite II service (which is also livestreamed), an 11:00 am Banquet Eucharist service and a 5:00 pm Celtic Eucharist service.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we offer Morning Prayer on our Online Worship Podcast.

On Wednesdays, we offer Holy Eucharist, Rite II at 6:00 pm in the Chapel.

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The community of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer welcomes you! We are glad that you have chosen to explore your faith here and hope that this document can answer some of the questions you may have about Church of the Redeemer. We seek to be an open, inviting community. Our invitation to you is to join us as we grow in faith and reach out in love to others. At Church of the Redeemer we are always seeking to know Jesus and grow in love. We hope that in whatever ministries you undertake will strengthen your relationship with him through your ministry and fellowship here.

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PARKING: Parking is on the street. Please pay attention to the signs indicating proper parking zones. Handicapped parking is available in the front on Erie, in the back parking lot, and on the south side of Raymar.

ACCESSIBLE REDEEMER: The front entrance has a ramp and there is an elevator inside the back door and to the left. Accessible restrooms are located in the Lobby inside the front entrance.


CONTACT US
Make a Donation Altar Flowers Endowment Fund Commitment 2023 Planned Giving

Thank you for supporting the mission and ministry of Church of the Redeemer!

To give a one time gift, click the button below. To make a financial commitment for 2023, use the Commitment 2023 tab above.

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Flowers in our holy worship spaces are a beautiful gift to God and those who attend services at Church of the Redeemer as well as those being honored or remembered. A contribution to the Flower Fund is a meaningful way to honor or remember a loved one for special life events such as birthdays, anniversaries, baptisms, confirmations, thanksgivings, or in memory of a loved one.

Donate

The Church of the Redeemer is blessed to have received special gifts from parishioners who wanted Redeemer to have permanent savings to care for our facilities and to supplement our pledge income.

Such permanent savings are often called an “endowment.” The endowed funds are permanently set aside by donors or by the Vestry. Some of our donors have specified uses for their endowment gifts. A limited portion of the funds is distributed each year to supplement our general budget. All funds are invested with professional advice.

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What about your connection to Redeemer changes the way you live in this world? Your financial commitment is a response to the work that God is doing with you here. It is a practical way to ensure that others are able to experience the relationships of holy connection and communion that are shaping your life.

For 2023, we ask that you make your commitment through regular scheduled electronic giving, if possible. Whether it be weekly or annually, giving electronically is a safe and sustainable way to ensure your continued financial support.

MAKE YOUR COMMITMENT NOW

Your planned legacy gift to the Church of the Redeemer is a practical way for you to empower generations to come. It is a powerful witness of faith, love, and gratitude. This type of gift recognizes the heritage left by those who came before us and acknowledges that we bear a responsibility to the future faithful - to insure the continuation of God’s work within and beyond Church of the Redeemer.

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