Dear Incarnation,
We are writing to you today with important information regarding year-end giving, as well as an annual update on the financial health of our church.
A Note from Amy
On Sunday, in our joint service with Beverley Hills UMC, our combined choirs beautifully sang these words from Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming:
By God’s eternal power, the maid has borne the infant
At this, the midnight hour.
This is so often how God shows his power: in deepest night, when least expected, in hidden and humble forms. And 2024 has certainly been a year of God moving in power where we least expected it in the life of our church.
A year ago, we had two families in Maryland. Today, we have a flourishing “small” group that is bursting at the seams, and we are trying to be faithful and courageous in responding to this unexpected growth. In early 2025, we’ll take our next step of discernment, offering a monthly service in Maryland.
A year ago, we were preparing to celebrate Christmas in an outdoor tent, part of our ever-shifting need for worship space. But a few months ago, Beverley Hills generously opened their doors, not only to our need for space, but also to friendship across denominational differences. Yesterday, we raised our voices together in harmony to proclaim our coming King.
These are amazing developments that we couldn’t have foreseen. But as I reflect on the past year, I am most moved by the power of God evidenced in your ordinary lives. In long-dormant faith coming alive again; in deliverance from addiction and bondage; in new prayer habits forming; in wounds being healed; in extraordinary acts of forgiveness and repentance; in spiritual gifts being discovered and vulnerably shared; in material goods being generously given away; in the courage to wait on God amidst deep uncertainty; in lives that sacrificially demonstrate the kingdom.
It’s a privilege to get a front-row seat to the power of God in your lives, and it’s nothing short of miraculous. God is among us, and he is at work. I believe he is calling us out deeper into the life of faith in this coming year, to a place of greater trust in the One who comes when least expected. Despite all the uncertainty and suffering in our world — at this, the midnight hour — I am looking ahead to 2025 such a sense of wonder.
As you make decisions about year-end charitable giving, I ask you to please consider a gift to Incarnation. And I invite you to praise God for the good work he is doing in our midst, and to join me in praying that he will sustain and continue it in the coming year. Thank you!
Year-End Giving Information
Below are answers to a few key questions that we get this time of year:
Is there a special Advent outreach offering this year?
Yes! This year’s Advent offering recipient is Casa Chirilagua, an organization working with immigrant families in the Chirilagua neighborhood of Alexandria. In a season of uncertainty, Casa is working to provide neighborhood families with accurate information about their legal rights and protections, while also continuing to serve as a place of connection, safety, learning, and joy in the neighborhood. You can give to this special offering online through Christmas Day.
How can I make a year-end gift to Incarnation?
Year-end gifts to Incarnation’s operating fund can be made online here. Checks (postdated by December 31) can be mailed to our office at 5401 7th Rd S, Arlington 22204 — please do not mail checks to Drew Elementary! For detailed instructions on how to give, please see the Give page of our website.
Will I receive an annual giving statement for tax purposes?
Yes! By the end of January 2025, you will receive an automated Year-End Giving Statement by email to your email address on file. If you do not receive this email by the end of January 2025, or if you wish to request a mailed paper statement, please contact Emily Williams at emily@incarnationanglican.org.
* Please note that gifts to Russell’s recovery fund were for the direct benefit of a named individual, and therefore are not considered tax-deductible under federal law. If you contributed to this fund and have any questions about the tax implications of your gift, please reach out to Emily.
2024 Financial Report
Our 2024 Fiscal Year ended on September 30. Total giving for the year was $404,611, 14% above the budgeted $355,00. Total expenses for the year were $444,601, 3% above the budgeted $432,744. Because our expenses were higher than our income, we ran a deficit of -$39,991 for the year, which was supplied out of our cash reserves. This deficit was roughly half of the projected deficit of -$77,744, and smaller than last year’s deficit of $64,762. Our cash position remains strong, with $232,651 in our combined accounts.
This strong finish to the fiscal year was due to a sustained increase in giving since June — in other words, to your generous and faithful giving. This is the path toward long-term sustainability, and we are well on our way thanks to you. The vestry remains committed to careful stewardship in order to eliminate our deficit and balance our budget over the coming years.
Outreach Giving: Thanks to your generosity, we gave $51,388 toward our outreach partners and programs in 2024. This giving included our border encounter trip with Abara; outreach lunches with partners throughout the year; and financial gifts to L’Arche, Restoration Immigration Legal Aid, Casa Chirilagua, Partners (Al Hol Refugee Camp, Syria), Cornerstone, Vera Fernandes (serving refugees with For the Nations), and C&R (serving in West Asia).
We also collected an additional $26,316 in special offerings for L’Arche Bethlehem (Advent), Rock Recovery (Lent), and Russell’s recovery expenses*. Thank you for being such a generous church, which enables our support for the incredible work of these partners around the world.
For more details, please read the year-end financial report from our last parish meeting here (please note, this report was presented with preliminary numbers; the finalized end-of-year numbers are provided in this letter). In addition, full financial reports are available at any time; just ask Emily (emily@incarnationanglican.org).
2025 Budget
Our 2025 fiscal year began Oct 1. We shared the 2025 budget at the last parish meeting, and you can view it here.
This budget projects a conservative 3% increase in giving, along with a significant amount of income from external grants to support Russell’s continued curacy and to seed a new missional work in Maryland. The total grant income is budgeted at $75,000, and we are pleased to report that $30,000 has already been awarded as of late November. Thanks be to God!
This budget also projects an increase in expenses due to rising health care and operational costs. Total expenditure for the year is budgeted at $458,442, representing a 2.75% increase over 2024 expenses.
This budget projects a deficit of -$8,342, significantly lower than previous years. However, this is only possible because of income from outside grants. Ultimately, the path to sustainability is not through outside funds, but through wise stewardship and the sustained giving of our own congregation.
Finally, this budget represents a change to our outreach funding in 2025. We have committed 5.1% of budgeted income to continue our recurring gifts to outreach partners. Another 7.4% of budgeted income is committed to exploring a new missional work in Maryland. However, we are also applying for outside grants to seed the Maryland project, as described above. If we receive those grants, we will reassess our financial status in mid-2025 and determine at that time whether to make additional outreach gifts. It is our strong hope and desire to continue to give generously to outreach beyond the walls of our church.
Thank you for your faithful support of our church!
Sincerely,
Amy Rowe, Rector
Gabi Farris, Treasurer
Emily Williams, Operations Manager
Jared Noetzel, Vestry Finance Liaison
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