“Christmas Appeal”
Dear Fremont Family:
Today is my 50th birthday, and I am celebrating the gift that you are to me as a faith community. I feel incredibly blessed to share life with you at this particular time and in our particular place. God is so good.
This year, we decided to go “green” with our annual Christmas Letter and send it out electronically (with a few paper copies available on Sunday). That does not mean, however, that we do not deeply value and depend upon your year-end gift. Attached is this year’s Christmas Letter. Please consider bringing your Christmas offering with you in-person on Christmas Eve, 12/24, as we gather at 7pm to light candles and sing!
Christmas Letter 2021
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”
These words of Mary remind me of how Fremont lives out the Christmas message. This letter is one of appreciation and it’s a letter asking you for a year-end gift.
It’s mind-boggling to think that we are preparing to celebrate a second Christmas in the time of Covid-19. I doubt anyone would have expected us to be here again. But in spite of another challenging year, your faithfulness continues in amazing ways:
- In July, we returned to in-person worship (after a year of virtual worship!) with new technology in the Sanctuary that allows us to continue to offer worship also through ZOOM.
- We started a new NE Collaborative Youth Group with 3 nearby churches averaging about 25 youth per gathering.
- We shifted Family Ministry to Sunday afternoons meeting outside during the fall.
- We responded to community needs through partnerships with the Refugee Care Collective and Brown Hope.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. So much more is happening (Capital Campaign, Building Renovations!) Because I’m here nearly every day, I see and experience the life-changing work that you have made possible through your generous giving. Thank you.
At Christmas, I come to you to asking for a year-end gift. We are good stewards of the financial resources that you provide us. While we operate on a very tight budget, we also want to give beyond our doors. Your Christmas offering this year will go toward projects that the global United Methodist Church makes possible.
These include:
- The Black College Fund – supporting the work of 11 United Methodist- related Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).
- The Africa University Fund, which supports the United Methodist related Africa University in Zimbabwe.
- The Ministerial Education Fund – supporting the 13 United Methodist seminaries in the United States.
Your generosity goes beyond the walls of this church – it goes to the whole world! Remember the words of Mary?
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”
With all that you have done during the past year through this congregation, your soul has magnified the Lord. Your spirit has buoyed my spirit. I’m now asking you for one last push in order for us to make an even bigger contribution to our world this Christmas. Please give, and please give generously.
Wishing you and your family a wonder and peace-filled Christmas.
Grace and peace,
Erin
P.S. Don’t forget! We are having an in-person Candlelight Christmas Eve service on December 24 at 7pm. I look forward to seeing you there. Bring family and friends.
