Spring 2008
Sustaining Fund/Outreach Drive and Report

“Each one should use whatever gift they have received to serve others,
Faithfully administering God’s grace in various forms”   - 1 Peter 4:10 

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

As the Lay Directors of the Cum Christo Movement, we come to you to ask you to prayerfully consider making a gift to our annual Sustaining/Outreach Fund. God tells us we cannot live by bread alone and the word of God, it also takes the financial support of our community to allow our movement to continue and grow.  Our goal for the upcoming year is $30,000.

In the last year through your financial and personal generosity, we have been able to reach out as the Hands of Christ and sustain the programs of the Cum Christo Movement.

In 2007, the Cum Christo Community has been able to provide four Cum Christo Weekends, weekly Ultreyas, two Leaders’ School Orientations, a Day of Reflection, and a Clergy Appreciation Dinner. Our Outreach Programs, such as supporting St. Lawrence Haven on a daily basis and Seniors at Jaycee Arms twice a year continue to bring Christ to the poor.  The February Dinner-Dance-Auction, as a fund raiser, produced half the income this year as in previous years.  Each of these programs needs your financial and personal support to continue.

Our hidden costs such as gas, electricity, water, printing/mailing and trash disposal continue to rise.  We still have not abandoned our hope to have a chair lift from the first floor to the second floor.   Hopefully with your help we can make this a reality in 2008.  Secondly, the cost of a new fire escape continues to be prohibitive.

Our treasurer advises us that we need $100,000 available as back- up funds to secure our existence in case of a serious loss.  We are not even close to that.  For years we have proceeded on a spend-as-we-go basis to our own detriment.  We are in the process of establishing a sound yearly budget so that all events can be managed soundly.  Secretariat is looking closely at our commitments and events to determine our future direction.

A Service Section sub-committee has been commissioned to look into the possibility of identifying a new location for Cum Christo.  Wouldn’t a one-floor facility be wonderful?  Can you dream with us and support such an adventure?  Even though we love the present, old building and have beautiful memories of our weekend, Ultreyas and serenades there, how long should we maintain it?  Is it worth putting money into it?

Enclosed is a card providing you with the opportunity to make contributions to the Cum Christo Sustaining/Outreach fund or to make a donation in honor or memory of a loved one. You may even want to consider a pledge of a monthly or quarterly donation. If you make memorial donations, a note acknowledging these gifts will be sent to the recipient on your behalf.  We ask that you include your email address so that an acknowledgment of your gift can be sent to you electronically to help defray mailing costs.

If you are not able to make a financial contribution at this time please prayerfully consider the gift of your time and talents.   We are in desperate need of workers to serve as God’s hands at the weekly Ultreya’s on Wednesday evening.  As you know Ultreya’s serve as a means of spiritual renewal for some as well as for those who are between groups or have not found a group.

The Cum Christo Community “faithfully administers God’s grace in various forms” wherever they are blooming. Through the Cursillo method of piety, study and action each of us has been equipped to use our gifts to serve others in our families, churches, communities, and work environments.  All of us are building up the Kingdom of God here on earth.

Once again, we thank you for your loving support of our beloved movement.  Christ continues to count on each of us to be good stewards and faithful servants of the many gifts and talents with which we have been blessed.

De Colores,

Rob and Bob Franz