$5.00, $1.8 billion, it’s just money.

In 2018, when Michael Bloomberg donated $1.8 billion to Johns Hopkins University, I

compiled for The Sun a list of his gifts to Hopkins.

The first was given a year after he graduated. It was for five dollars.

Now if anyone among you were to pledge $1.8 billion to Memorial Episcopal, we would be
happy to receive it. We would run to the bank with the check. But what you may not understand is that if you were to pledge five dollars, we would still be happy.

We would be happy because you’re making a pledge of financial support, in whatever amount,
would show that you see yourself as part of this community, that you share our values and

concerns, and that you want to be a part of our work going forward.

So when we invite you to consider making or renewing a pledge in support of our common work
here, we’re not trying to guilt you into contributing money. We want you to see yourself as one
of us, a partner and participant in all we do for ourselves as a congregation, and for the larger

community around us who are hungry for what we can offer them.