A Letter from John Buchanan
In a fine new book about the basics of Christian faith, Tokens of Trust, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams writes, “One of the simplest possible definitions of the church is to say that it is meant to be the place where Jesus is visibly active in the world.” I think something like that every day as I enter the doors of the Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago and watch, from morning until night, Jesus becoming visible, as . . .

. . . the first of 18 Alcoholics Anonymous groups assembles for an early morning meeting
. . . people gather for prayer, worship, and study
. . . parents arrive with children and infants in strollers for Day School and Children’s Center day care
. . . exercise class participants begin their aerobic workout in Anderson Hall
. . . those who are homeless and hungry gather for lunch
. . . couples meet with a minister for a premarital conference
. . . Kids Cafe cooks fill the halls with delicious aromas from the evening meal preparation
. . . yellow school buses arrive and Tutoring youngsters spill out and into the Dining Room and classrooms

What I love most about this remarkable church is that its people are committed to making Jesus visible. I love the fact that those who preceded us as members and ministers of Fourth Presbyterian Church generously provided for the future of the church and that income from their invested bequests helps us in our mission of making Jesus visible. And I love the challenge that falls on you and me today to continue that amazing and faithful legacy.

It’s a personal matter for each of us. I invite you to join Sue and me in making a generous and faithful pledge to the life and mission of Fourth Presbyterian Church. If you have never pledged or given before, I urge you to start this year, to join with all those whose gifts sustain our church and to discover the deep sense of satisfaction in being part of everything this church is and does to show the world what Jesus and his church look like. If you are a regular supporter, I invite you to consider increasing the amount of your gift in order to keep your church strong for the future.

I invite you to be part of the exciting project of making Jesus visible.

Faithfully,
John M. Buchanan

A Letter from the 2008 Stewardship Committee
For the Lord has been bountiful to me. Psalm 116:12, “What shall I return to the Lord for all of God’s bounty to me,” embodies a feeling of gratitude for the many blessings in each of our lives. It also asks us to see this gratitude as inspiring a generous response expressed as giving.

We, the Stewardship Committee, ask that you join us in spending time this season thinking and praying about what you will return to the Lord for God’s bounty to you. As you do so, please plan to return the enclosed pledge card on or before October 28, 2007, when we will celebrate our stewardship progress and the gifts that, together, we will return to the Lord in grateful thanksgiving for the bountiful love and blessings we have each received.

Thank you!
The 2008 Stewardship Committee
Gerry Bloomer, co-chair, Ann Kingstrom, co-chair, Lloyd Culbertson, Rebecca Dixon, Sam Evans, Fred Henry, Susan Hill, Jerry Johnson, Liz Kurman, Marc Miller, Llani O’Connor, Sara Pfaff

Thousands of lives.
Each year Fourth Presbyterian Church touches the lives of thousands—children and adults, members and neighbors, near and far—providing spiritual nurture, education, community fellowship, and helpful services to neighbors in need.

The gifts of many. What makes this all possible—this vital mission and ministry of Fourth Presbyterian Church—are the gifts of its members and friends. Your financial contributions enable Fourth Church to offer four Sunday worship services each week and and all of the other work and ministry that Fourth Presbyterian Church does each day of the year, including

• Provide resources needed for the programs of Chicago Lights

Tutoring and Scholarship – 1,500 students from economically disadvantaged neighborhoods are tutored.

Near North Magnet Cluster Schools – 300 Near North neighborhood children perform in the Festival of the Heart.

Summer Day – 120 students receive summer academic and arts instruction.

Elam Davies Social Service Center – 3,000 adults in need are served with meals, job-training, and clothing and grocery appointments.

Center for Whole Health – 2,500 people seeking guidance about health and wellness are contacted.

Center for Life and Learning – 240 members participate in social, physical, and academic activities each day.

• Deepen spiritual understanding through the 14 courses offered by the Academy for Faith and Life and Bible study groups

Sponsor 6 or more mission trips annually to learn about and bring healing to other parts of our world

Experience and share great music through choirs and through a series of concerts and recitals every Friday at 12:00 noon

Teach 552 children enrolled in Sunday School about God’s love

$8 million. It takes nearly $8 million to fund the current programs and mission of Fourth Presbyterian Church and to keep the church building open every day. We are one of the few churches in the country blessed with a significant endowment. While these invested funds are able to fund the facility operating and maintenance costs, 55 percent of our budget is funded with member pledges and gifts. Increased participation is crucial to our mission and vision. Think about what we could do if more of our members participated by pledging!

Each and every one of us. The ability to meet the 2008 budget of nearly $8 million depends on each and every one of us contributing to the 2008 Stewardship Campaign. In 2007, 520 of the pledges received were less than $1,000, or under $20 per week. We depend on a range of gifts. Each and every one of them, large and small, makes a big difference.

Making a pledge. Pledging is a way for each of us to return to God a portion of God’s bountiful gifts to us. It allows church leaders to know in advance how much will be available and enables committees and staff to plan for compelling new projects to advance our mission. For more information on why to pledge, please click here.

What shall I return? Giving is a spiritual discipline that we practice as followers of a generous, loving, and abundant God. Your gift will make a vital difference at whatever level is meaningful for you. We can do more together to return to the Lord than we could ever do individually, and your pledge allows church leadership to make plans in advance for how our beloved church serves to deliver a part of God’s bounty to this community and to the world.

For more information, please contact Lisa Radetski, Director of Giving Ministries, at lradetski@fourthchurch.org (312.981.3380).