St. Margaret in-the-Pines, West Hill, has every reason to celebrate a successful Our Faith-Our Hope campaign. The church exceeded its target of $150,000. At the end of the campaign, it had raised $301,750—twice its target.
Two years ago, this would have been an unlikely scenario. The parish was indebted to the diocese and faced a bleak future of declining congregations and too small a base of weekly financial support.
The former incumbent, the Rev. Ronald Scott, and the churchwardens made the difficult decision to request that the parish be placed under diocesan administration. In retrospect, this request and the decisions that followed it were pivotal in launching the parish on a course of renewed optimism, spiritual growth and sacrificial re-awakening.
The appointed administrator and Bishop Patrick Yu, the area bishop, visited the parish on separate occasions. During these meetings, both of them encouraged parishioners to confront the harsh realities that lay before them.
Mr. Scott, the churchwardens and the administrator embarked on a period of teaching and re-education, culminating in significant increases in stewardship commitments from parishioners. The administrator reviewed all nonstewardship sources of parish income and found them to be below current market values. On his recommendation, these fees were increased. Within a year of these actions, the parish finances improved, but the debt to the diocese remained a major concern.
St. Margaret’s was scheduled to be in an earlier block of the Our Faith-Our Hope campaign, but on account of the financial state of the parish, the leadership team requested deferral to a later date. In February 2012, with the transitional year behind them, an improving financial condition, and the appointment of a new incumbent, the leadership team faced the challenge of the campaign. The spirit of renewal and optimism that began a year earlier seemed to increase with the appointment of the Rev. Karen Hatch. The leadership team decided to use this positive energy to launch the campaign. There was the normal human apprehension that accompanies charting a new course, but with Ms. Hatch as spiritual leader, and a team of very committed parishioners, those misgivings were replaced with excitement and enthusiasm.
Pledges from the first phase of the campaign came in at a steady pace. Before the campaign was introduced to the congregation, nearly 60 per cent of the goal was achieved. This early success motivated members of the congregation. There was an awakened sense of sacrificial giving and a greater awareness of the significant role of the diocese in many aspects of parish life. Encouraged by the generosity of the pledges, the leadership team set a new “challenge” target of $250,000, as the parish’s portion of this amount would provide the appropriate funds to pay off the debt to the diocese.
“The campaign was a journey of faith and hope,” said Ms. Hatch. “The financial commitments will ensure that the parish is able to address its immediate short-term concerns, but the most enduring benefits of the campaign were the moments of inspiration, spiritual renewal, and opportunities for community building.”
Finding Easter hope for creation