Dear Potomac Presbyterian Church Family:

One of the best parts of being at Potomac Presbyterian Church is that we all get to live out our faith side by side. Week after week, we worship, pray, learn, and serve together. We celebrate milestones, walk with each other through hard times, and reach out to neighbors with compassion. None of this happens by chance. It occurs because of God’s generous grace and the generosity of this community.

Each Fall, we set aside time to talk about generosity or stewardship, and let’s be honest, that means we’re talking about money. We ask every household to make a pledge for the coming year: a financial commitment that supports the life and mission of our church. Very simply, a pledge is telling the church what you plan to give financially in 2026. These pledges, or financial estimates of giving, help us determine the budget, plan ministries, and make what we do possible—from the hymns we sing, to the Sunday School lessons taught, to the meals served to neighbors, to the lights that turn on when we walk through the doors, to the Sunday livestream, and everything in between.

It’s worth saying loudly:

We do a lot for a church of our size! PPC is home to a thriving concert series, engages education for all ages, has an expanding music program, a robust mission focus, an active Stephen Ministry program, congregational care for all ages, and a strong online presence through our website and social media. It is uncommon for a congregation our size to support two full-time pastors, and yet, because of your generosity, we do just that. In addition, we have a talented Director of Music & Organist in Sam Gray; a highly skilled Piano Accompanist in Sean Cavanagh; a versatile and proficient Office Administrator in Jeanne Grillo; a Communications & Tech Specialist in James Chhetree. Our vital ministries are made possible by a gifted staff and by your generosity.

Here’s the reality:

Your commitment fuels worship, mission trips, music, and so much more, allowing the church to

remain a vibrant, welcoming place where people encounter the living Lord and are sent out to serve in the world. To be able to increase mission giving, and offer staff COLA’s, we need to increase our budget which in 2025 was $642,000. What makes our task challenging is that recently several of our large donors have either moved away or died. Their generosity carried us for a good long time, and now that responsibility and joy remain with those who are here. It is unlikely that one household can fill the gap made by the generous donors who are gone, but when the whole church family makes financial pledges then we all stand to gain in ways we cannot yet fathom. We would like to increase pledging beyond the 83 families that pledged in 2025.

For us personally, we find it incredibly life giving to serve Christ through this congregation. We see God at work on mission trips, at fellowship, in pastoral and congregational care, at worship, during Bible Study, in small group meetings, during education hour, and we feel blessed to be part of this community. That is why we joyfully tithe, giving 10% of our salaries back to the church. We believe this helps to ensure that PPC remains a place where people belong, find meaning, deepen faith, and thrive. Will you join us in returning a portion of your financial blessings to the church in 2026?

Next Steps:

We have included a pledge card with this letter which you may deliver or mail to church, or we invite you to make your financial pledge through Realm online. Please return your pledge card to the church office or make your online pledge by Sunday, November 9, 2025. Your financial generosity truly makes all the difference in what God can do through all of us at PPC.

Thank you for your generosity, your faith, and your love for this community. Together, let’s continue to discover how God is at work in our lives and in the life of our church community as we live into this year’s theme:

When I Give, I Gain.

Sincerely, Your Pastors,

The Rev. Emily Berman D’Andrea

The Rev. Chris McAuliffe