I could go on and on about the many ways that White Memorial has supported and sustained my family over the years – from my experience with the youth group in high school through pre-marriage counseling with Christopher to the baptism of my two boys and so much more. White Memorial makes our lives richer and more blessed. I am lucky to be a part of a church family that cares for our community and members. Scripture tells us that God wants us to show compassion to the less fortunate, and boy does White Memorial take that to heart. Locally, White Memorial supports Habitat for Humanity builds with financial resources and volunteer support and allocates significant funding each year to community agencies focused on local needs like housing and hunger.
Outreach does not stop with our local community. White Memorial extends its outreach through volunteerism and financial support across the globe. In 2017, my brother William was on a mission trip to Haiti to support Haiti Outreach Ministries (HOM). William shared this via email: “HOM does so many things for the community it serves that this email would be many pages long if I tried to list them all. Everything from access to a medical clinic to clean drinking water and education. HOM serves over 1,500 children.” He goes on to say, “This is a community that is flattened once a year by a hurricane or some other disaster or deadly disease that takes members of their family or friends but doesn’t come close to touching their hope or faith.”
It means so much to me that as members of White Memorial, we are a small part of the vital work that Haiti Outreach Ministry is accomplishing every day. But, all of this incredible outreach work has expenses attached – staffing, volunteer coordination, transportation, financial contributions, food, and supplies. By the end of this year, the Generosity Campaign aims to raise $4.175 million from the members of this congregation to support White Memorial’s annual expenses in 2023. Outreach expenses account for 36% of this goal.
My little family of four doesn’t have super deep pockets – we are not yet able to give at the level we would like. I hope one day we’ll be able to. But for now we make an annual pledge that is meaningful to us and one that demonstrates our commitment to this church and our gratitude for all it does for us and our broader community – both near and far. I hope you will join us.
