Stewardship
A Foundation for the Future
Rooted in faith. Built on generosity.
Ready for the next 100 years.
Dear Church Family,
Elaine Avak, long time member of this church and of the Stewardship Committee, has shared this beautiful reflection about our first 100 years through the lens of her family’s history in the church and hope for the future:
Before our very first visit on Easter Sunday in 1949, my mother and I talked excitedly about what our new church would be like. At the time, I was a junior at UCLA. We were so delighted by the warm greeting we received that day that we decided to transfer our membership from a downtown LA Baptist church.
Over the years, I have seen so many changes take place. Perhaps the most important change was our church becoming Open and Affirming – a United Church of Christ that truly welcomes everyone. How fortunate we have been to be guided by outstanding pastoral leadership, including our long-serving pastors Mark Hogue from 1937 and Kirsten Linford since 2001.
As we prepare to celebrate our first hundred years on this street, we look forward with excitement to what the next century will bring. It is all of you who make our church so special. We depend on each of you to ensure our welcoming community thrives for generations to come. Please consider making a pledge to this year’s stewardship campaign.
As Elaine’s message illustrates, every day, our shared faith mission comes alive in our neighborhood and around the world because of your generous gifts. Your giving will allow us to continue and even grow our missions to serve those in need, champion love and justice, nurture our children and youth, and share our sacred spaces. As we prepare for the year ahead, we invite each family to prayerfully consider making a pledge for your financial giving for the coming year. Of course, we understand that life circumstances can change. Please know that pledges can be adjusted at any time. Pledging will simply allow us to see where we are and plan for where we might go.
The Stewardship Board is deeply grateful for your financial support which truly makes this important work possible. Together, we can build a foundation for the next 100 years of Westwood Hills Congregational Church.
Blessings,
The Stewardship Board