The drop in temperatures has made the fact that the “holiday season” is upon us a tangible reality finally. With warmer weather hanging around, it seemed as if Indian Summer were lingering on and on and on. But the nip in the air and the appearance of Salvation Army ringers outside every grocery store in the last few days makes the calendar suddenly seem right. It’s almost Thanksgiving, and a few days after that, Advent begins.

Most of this Shield issue will tell you about upcoming events for you and your family during the Advent and Christmas season. I was ready to write this week about the onset of Advent instead of the pledge campaign, but we’re not finished with it yet. As of the composition of this column, we still lack $122,500.00 in pledges in order to reach our budget goal. We have not implemented huge increases in any areas, and have done our best to be conservative and thoughtful in our adjustments for this coming year’s budget. If we don’t find ourselves much closer to our budget goal, we will have to cut some serious programs throughout the year. I hate to even think about having to cut programming, wondering which cherished part of our ministry will have to go. None of our programming is less important to our mission than another, making such decisions nearly unbearable.

If you are someone who usually makes a pledge but has not yet, please make your pledge this week. As I have said on Sundays, no one will quibble with the amount you write down. No one will ask questions if you reach a point later in the year where you are no longer able to make a pledge. And if you are a regular giver who prefers not to make a pledge, why not consider looking at what you usually give and putting a promise of the same amount into writing? Without the pledges, we assume the money won’t be there, and then we have to make cuts.

Every little bit counts, and it’s all of those little bits together that make this place and her many arms of outreach run. Please turn in a pledge today! Thank you to those of you who have already made one. Remember, you can e-mail your total in at ststephensumc@coxinet.net.