Dear Morning Star Family and Friends,
We hope you had a merry Christmas, and all of us on your Leadership Team here at Morning Star pray the new year will be the best ever for you! Thank you so much for your faithful generosity this past year. In my December financial update, I said I’d let you know how many kits the Morning Star family provided for our new neighbors through Salem for Refugees. Our goal was big. We hoped to provide 100 kits. Well, I can tell you that Salem for Refugees was overwhelmed by Morning Star’s above-and-beyond gift of 160 kits! Families and individuals, Life Groups and our Student Ministries small groups dug deep and made sacrifices to provide this very real help for refugees in our own community, many who left all they had to come to America, many escaping persecution and violence. I’m reminded that Jesus Himself said it is more blessed to give than to receive–and He ought to know. No one gives like He does, and we are truly blessed that He used our Morning Star family to give so generously!
As 2024 comes to an end, we invite you to help Morning Star finish strong with a year-end financial gift. We usually receive close to 25% of our ministry budget in November and December. Strong year-end giving is a springboard to accomplishing what God has for us in 2025. Our giving this year has been slightly lower than expected, about 3-4% behind budget. Please join us, first of all, in thanking the Lord for His care and provision, and also in asking that He would help us finish 2024 well financially. And would you please consider a special year-end gift as an answer to that prayer? For those who have already given a year-end gift, THANK YOU! Your help can make all the difference!
If you are being led to give, keep in mind that you have until midnight of Tuesday, December 31, in order for your gifts to count as 2024 charitable contributions. You can give online by clicking here. You can also drop your donation in the secure dropbox at the church offices. If you choose to mail your donation, be sure it’s postmarked by December 31. Even though Morning Star’s offices will be closed the week between Christmas and New Year’s, we’ll be checking the mail daily!
If you have questions or need assistance, please email me (john@mstar.church) or Candy, our Financial Director (accounting@mstar.church).
John Jaskilka
executive pastor
candy escalante
financial director
Thank you for your commitment to gospel work at and through Morning Star. We love serving Him with you and can’t wait for what God has for us in 2025!
Happy New Year!
John Jaskilka and MStar Leadership Team