These last two years have been different than any of us could have imagined, and we have yet more imagining to do together as a WES community. This is the time of year when members and friends make their financial commitments for 2022-2023, and perhaps consider how to invest your time and talent at WES as well.

Though times are tough, we know that a better future is on the way. In this season, we will be like dandelions–resilient, creative, medicinal, and future-oriented. We will send our wishes forward, and we will become more deeply rooted as we prepare to make those wishes come true. Here are some of the wishes members have for the coming year: 

• Gathering up member energy and a renewed sense of member ownership to come together in support of lifelong education, social justice, and community building 
• Living our values through fair compensation for current staff, staying connected with our community partners, and managing our building and other resources in just and sustainable ways 
• Welcoming our new Senior Leader, and laying the groundwork for a long and fruitful partnership with our clergy

The success of this year’s pledge campaign will plant the seeds for future generations of beauty, hope, and shared growth. 

We on the Stewardship Team would like to invite you to a Pledge Party to learn more about the priorities of this year’s campaign, to connect with other members, and to dream together about the future. Some of our Pledge Parties will be online, and some will be in person. To sign up, please visit tiny.cc/wespledgeparty.

If you are new to making a financial pledge (or your financial situation has changed recently) and you are looking for guidance, a member of the Stewardship Team would be glad to talk with you. A financial pledge should be generous enough that it demonstrates your commitment and makes a difference in your life. At the same time, we would never want someone to jeopardize their access to necessities for the sake of donating to WES. 

If you would like further guidance about your pledge, we can share with you the “Fair Share Giving Guide,” which suggests factors to consider in choosing a range for your pledge that is between 3% and 10% of your net income. This tool benefits from some explanation, and a member of the Stewardship Team would be happy to help. You can find it on the same web page as the online pledge form listed below; click “Help with determining how much to pledge.” 

As you reflect on what WES means to you, and what a difference WES makes and could make in the surrounding community, we hope you will give from the heart. The possibilities for WES to grow into the community we aspire to become are greatly influenced by your generosity, imagination, and love. 

Our financial commitments, as well as our gifts of time and talent, combine to bring WES’s Statement of Purpose to life. Your pledge supports our shared mission, including WES’s ability to make an impact on: 

• The lives of children, youth, and their families, who find acceptance at WES that exists nowhere else
• The health of our Rock Creek watershed, which we support with multigenerational clean up days
• The thriving of our interdependent larger community, including our immigrant neighbors, with whom we work alongside in justice efforts and with the Afghan Welcome Project
• Social opportunities that support the mental health and emotional wellbeing of all members, including seniors who can access WES’s programs with greater ease than ever before now that we are a fully hybrid community
• Members who are inspired, challenged, and uplifted by shared conversations and stirring music in our Sunday Platforms
• So many ways that WES makes a difference in the world 

Once you’ve had a chance to connect with others at a Pledge Party, hear about their love for WES, and share your own inspirational stories, you’ll be ready to make your commitment. To make your pledge, you can use the online form at http://tiny.cc/mypledge. If you prefer, you can send a note by way of the U.S. Postal Service to the WES office addressed to Business Administrator Tom Hutton, or by emailing him at TomH@ethicalsociety.org. Please see below for details about your pledge history, and suggestions for this year. 

With Faith in Human Goodness,

The Stewardship Team

Washington Ethical Society

Please visit http://tiny.cc/mypledge when you are ready to make your commitment