Stewardship 2 | Saint John's Niantic

We need your pledge, St John’s parishioners are told, so we can set a budget for the church

Ken Nowell : “An annual pledge is the strongest form of support”

The second week of the campaign to raise money to fund St John’s through the year focuses on a plea to parishioners to use an annual pledge to make donations.

In his message to parishioners – to be read to the congregation during the service on 11th October – the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Ken Nowell, will describe the benefits that pledging brings to the church.

“Naturally, we encourage any form of financial support that you are able to provide,” says Ken. “However, the strongest form of support is the annual pledge.”

“Our budget is largely driven by what has been pledged for the support of our parish.

“While we can ‘ball park’ a dollar amount for unpledged support, it remains a soft number that cannot be fully relied upon. A pledge tells us that his is the amount you will provide to the church every week or month or quarter whether or not you can make it to every service.”

The “10-10-10 Pledge Campaign” was launched on October 4th by the Senior Warden Jon Cook as he urged parishioners to increase their annual giving by ten percent each year for the next three years.

Jon Cook told the congregation that the 10-10-10 Pledge was about “investing in a new chapter” for St John’s

Jon said that over the three years of the campaign the extra money would make it possible to buy more of the time of Mother Jackie or another priest, and to fund a new director of education to replace Evamarie Cooper and Jan Nykyforchyn when they step down from the role later this year.

In a letter to parishioners (printed below) Ken Nowell says his “aim and passion is to build St John’s finances…so that its long-term survival is better prepared for,” which he says includes funds to pay a pastor for more of his or her time each week.

“A church is like a household,” Ken will tell the congregation, “and, like any other household, it requires financial support for its maintenance…(including) the support of dedicated clergy and staff,” as well as expenses such as utilities, insurance, and the general care of the church and its facilities.

“A big ask”

Ken says pledges show the diocese that St John’s is a strong parish

Ken acknowledges that for some people, who might not have been comfortable with pledging, the idea might appear “a big ask”.

However, he said, “Keep in mind that while a pledge is your personal commitment to the financial needs of the church, it is NOT legally binding. We understand that unexpected hardships may descend upon you at any time, and we understand if you may be unable to sustain your pledge.”

Nevertheless, Ken says, “With a pledge, this is an amount that we can use in setting our budget with greater certainty that it will be received.

“Increases in pledges are also a signal to the diocese that this parish is a strong one, deserving of its continued support.”

Two other members of the Finance Committee, Holly Cheeseman and Chip Flanagan, will address the congregation on successive Sundays during October. Holly will describe ways church members can most easily make their pledges, and Chip will prepare parishioners for the arrival of pledge cards in the mail. People will be asked to return their cards by November 15th, Pledge Sunday.

Ken’s message in full:

Message for October 11

A healthy Church is made up of devoted congregants, sharing their God-given talents with their fellow members in the joyous worship of our Lord. This, by far, is the most important part of what makes up a healthy Church.

A Church runs like a household. We are the members of this household. And like any other household, it requires financial support for its maintenance. This maintenance takes several forms, the support of dedicated clergy and staff, the utilities, repairs, insurance and general care of our Church structure and facilities, and resources for the development of the next generation of parishioners.

Naturally, we encourage any form of financial support that you are able to provide. However, the strongest form of support is the annual pledge. You see, our budget is largely driven by what has been pledged for the support of our parish. While we can “ball park” a dollar amount for unpledged support, it remains a soft number that cannot be fully relied upon. A pledge tells us that this is the amount you will provide to the church every week or month or quarter, whether or not you can make it to every service (indeed, there are times that most of us will be unavailable on a given Sunday).

With a pledge, this is an amount we can use in setting our budget with a greater certainty that it will be received. Increases in pledges are also a signal to the diocese that this parish is a strong one, deserving of its continued support.

Now, it is understood that, for those who have not been comfortable with pledging, this may be a “big ask.” Keep in mind, that while a pledge is your personal commitment to the financial needs of the Church, it is NOT legally binding. We understand that unexpected hardships may descend upon you at any time, and we understand if you may be unable to sustain your pledge. Likewise, you may feel a desire to share part of an unexpected blessing with your Church. The pledge is just what you are going to give your best effort to fulfill during the year.

Therefore, in the coming weeks, we hope that anyone here who has not pledged in the past may find, through thoughtful prayer, the faith to step forward with a pledge amount for the coming year.

Ken’s letter to parishioners:

September 2026

To the members of St. John’s Episcopal Church:

Karen & I started on a spiritual journey in 2021. First, we created a new physical home that would keep us in Niantic every weekend, and eventually full-time when retirement beckons. As soon as we did this, we knew we would need a spiritual home. Throughout our 39-year marriage, we have had a place to worship our Lord and give Him thanks for the blessings in our lives, including having found each other.

2021 was a trying year for such a search. Many churches had limited access, due to the panic which accompanied the COVID outbreak. St. John’s got our attention, in that they were not only open for Christmas Eve, but we could sing in this service, and while masks were recommended, they were not mandated. It was a beautiful service.

In time, we began to attend church here more frequently, as (our prior Pastor) Father Tony’s messages were a tremendous recharge to our spiritual batteries. One key factor that led us to choose St. John’s for membership was its focus on the joyful worship of our Lord, leaving the noise of today’s secular world outside its doors.

Inevitably, my skill set pulled me into the service of our Church’s new Finance Committee, including talented fellow parishioners spanning tax accounting, financial management, executive leadership, strategic planning, retail, fundraising, planned giving, government relations and church governance. Our aim and my passion is to build St. John’s finances with a focus on how to not only maintain the parish at a minimal level, but to build its finances so that its long-term survival is better prepared for.

Is it fair to use the term “minimal level?” You tell me. When we can only afford to have our pastor at 30% time, I call that minimal. What we need more than anything is to have such a presence inside and outside this building to bring a natural increase in new membership.

In the coming weeks, we will make presentations concerning the big picture, including our goal of 10% annual growth in pledges in each of the next three years, the importance of pledging, and the many ways your support can be given to St. John’s. Later in October, your pledge letter will be provided by a member of our committee.

I can guarantee that Karen & I will continue to increase our pledging in the coming years and can only hope everyone here continues to treasure St. John’s as we do.

Sincerely,

Ken Nowell