2025 Stewardship: Generous–Church in Progress

Dear Friends in Christ,

Sixty seven years ago, Eastminster Presbyterian was chartered as a new church in East Lansing, as neighbors came together to found this church. Ever since then, it’s been a work in progress. From meetings at the high school to building a permanent home, from renovations inside to reaching out in love to the outside community, we’re always moving forward.

This year’s progress looked like:

• welcoming nine new members into the ministry of Eastminster
• sending three youth and two adults to the Massanetta Middle School Conference
• hosting the Interfaith Gathering for Solidarity and Hope
• relationship building with our Jewish and Muslim siblings, through hosting Rabbi Bigman, sharing a meal with members of the Islamic Center and learning from Imam Chaudry
• continued work on updating and creating policies so that we are caring for our members, living out our values, and functioning well as a community

All this progress didn’t happen on its own. God has been at work through the ministry of Eastminster throughout its history and will continue to lead us into the future. God has given us so many gifts — dedication, intelligence, generosity, compassion, faith, and most of all love.

This year, we’ve been reminded that while our church building is our home, it is not the church. The church is the people who make up our community, the neighbors and groups who use our building, the body of Christ lived out in the world. We also have been reminded that the faithful and generous stewardship of our members, from annual pledges to legacy gifts to our endowment, is crucial to our long-term vitality and mission. Without our endowment and the generosity of our members giving extra donations we would not have been able to complete the recent large building repairs.

This stewardship season, we ask you to pledge your money to help us continue our good work in the community. We are able to be a home for the body of Christ because of electricity and water, staff and supplies. We also ask you to consider how you might serve in the next year, using your time, energy, skills, passions, and prayers to help us love God, each other, and our neighbors around the world. Every dollar, every hour, every gift and prayer helps to build up the church. We have included a pledge card that you can return to the church through the mail or by placing it in the offering plate. Please return it by Sunday, November 24th.  You can also pledge online under the “Give” tab on our website (www.eastminsterchurch.org). With your generosity, we will continue to make progress as disciples in the world, visible expressions of the body of Christ.

Gratefully,

Rev. Kristin Stroble