October, 2026
Dear Friends in Christ,
St. Brigit’s Bishop’s Committee Community (BCC) – the elected group of lay leaders who guide our church – has spent this season in prayer and discernment about who God is calling us to be in 2027.
What’s emerging is simple, and it’s a lot:
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- Expand community
- Welcome each
- Serve all
We believe God is inviting us to open our hearts wider – to welcome every person we meet as a child of God and a sibling in Christ, and to partner with the Holy Spirit in serving our neighbors, trusting that together we can work for the common good.
We’re already living this out. Brigit’s Village, the 40 units of affordable housing we labored to bring to Frederick, recently reached 100% occupancy, and our neighbors are noticing who we are because of it. Brigit’s Bounty, which continues to provide all their grown food for the community, recently installed their 24/7 community fridge to be utilized by anyone in the community at any time. This fall we opened our doors to the whole community for Blessing of the Animals on St. Francis Day. Small as we are – about 60 of us on an average Sunday – we keep showing up for our neighborhood in ways that matter.
Many of you heard the BCC share this vision in more depth at our congregational meeting on September 20. It was exciting to hear that the BCC is exploring achieving parish status by 2029, our 20th year as a faith community. At the same time, we’re emphasizing growing our visibility and impact in the city of Frederick and beyond.
Two old stories are guiding us this season:
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- In exile in Babylon, the prophet Isaiah told a weary, displaced people to “enlarge the place of your tent” – to dare, even then, to make room for a future bigger than their circumstances.
- And our namesake, Brigit of Kildare, once asked a king for only as much land as her cloak could cover – then watched it stretch, in her companions’ hands, to cover acres. (Read both stories in full on the enclosed insert.)
Both ask the same question we’re asking:
What happens when we trust God enough to enlarge our capacity, not shrink it?
Here’s our shared goal: To support this vision for 2027, our congregation is praying toward $150,000 in giving – an ambitious number for a community our size, and one we believe is possible when each of us discerns our own part in it.
That’s where you come in. Over the next few weeks, we’re asking you to prayerfully consider your Estimate of Giving for 2027 – simply, your best sense of what you’re able to offer St. Brigit in the coming year. There’s no wrong way to arrive at a number: Some of you look at a percentage of your income; others start from what feels faithful and go from there. What matters is that you take the time to listen for how you’re being led, and then let us know.
Please send us your Estimate of Giving by November 1. You can:
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- Fill out and return the enclosed form by mail or in the offering plate
- Drop it by the church office
- Offer your estimate online at https://stbrigit.org/eog-form/
On November 1, we’ll celebrate All Saints Day together, and together we’ll bless every Estimate of Giving we’ve received – consecrating them, and ourselves, to God’s work among our neighbors. Thank you for everything your generosity has already made possible at St. Brigit. We rejoice in what God has done through this community, and we’re confident that with your continued partnership, God isn’t finished with us yet.
With gratitude and hope,
St. Brigit’s Financial Stewardship and Vision Team:
Steve Hack, Megan Hawkins, Laura Lewis, Sean McGaughey, Demi Prentiss, Jeff Solas, treasurer, Tim Backus, vicar