At St. John the Evangelist, we are continually blessed with the generosity and support f our fellow parishioners and school families. While December Sunday collections were slightly down from last year, we were fortunate that the Christmas donations exceeded last year's amount. 

In the past six months, we also have had several individuals and businesses offer their time, service, and even donated equipment for needed repairs and upgrades within the Parish. We are continually looking for businesses that can provide services in support of our Parish (e.g., are there any locksmiths in the pews?)

In reviewing Parish data since the COVID restrictions ended, we are pleased to see Mass attendance continually on the rise. We are still below the pre-COVID numbers but encouraged by the ongoing trend. We have also seen a slight rise in cash donations, which we suspect may be from visitors from neighboring Parishes who are looking for a new home Parish after their Parish had merged or their specific Mass time eliminated. This should be a reminder for us to welcome and greet any new face we see at Mass - for we have always prided ourselves on being a welcoming Parish.

If there is any item that may warrant attention, it may be the amount we give weekly, either through an envelope or a Give Central donation. Often, we get used to writing the same amount every week, or in my case, a set amount that has been configured in Give Central. It had been years since adjusted my personal weekly donation to keep up with inflation. This is a trend we see across the board. While Parish expenses are always on the rise, the average monthly donations still remain relatively unchanged, even as attendance slowly grows.

Your in Christ, 
Deacon Tim Davidson