Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.                                                                                                                         Romans 12:4-5

In the coming weeks you will hear and see a lot about how we, the parish membership, are pieces of a puzzle. The image of the puzzle piece was chosen as this year’s stewardship campaign logo to symbolize what we mean to each other (many members, many functions and gifts but one body). It brings to mind how we are all so important to each other in doing what God has called us to do in our parish community and beyond. The completed puzzle, with all the pieces represented, symbolizes what can result. It isn’t a puzzle anymore, is it? It is a complete picture, tightly knitted together and strong. That is The Joy of Belonging.  Each piece is critical to the rest. Missing pieces are missing talents or functions.

This year all of our forums have worked hard to develop a budget that each of these twelve forums believes it is what God is calling them to do. The 2008 budget has been prepared earlier this year so that we all can become familiar with each forum’s needs and plan for our support of these plans.

Every 2008 pledge packet will contain one of those puzzle pieces mentioned earlier. Please return the one you receive with your pledge card so that every time a pledge is received in the parish financial office we can add another puzzle piece to the picture of our life together. Our goal is to complete that picture.