Since our beginning 15 years ago, we have always felt a strong sense of family with you, our readers. Through common vision and commitments, through shared struggles, fears, and hopes, we have consistently experienced a bond with you that is rare between a magazine staff and its subscribers. But two responses you gave to us last summer have made us feel the "ties that bind" more deeply than ever. Our July and August/September issues carried an ad that asked you to send the names of at least 12 of your friends. We agreed to send them a two-free-issue offer with a letter describing Sojourners and encouraging them to subscribe.
We were overwhelmed by your enthusiastic response. You sent in more than 21,000 names. You not only gave us names of close family members and friends but also those of your co-workers in ministry. One seminary board member in Ohio asked us to send offers to everyone else on the board. A regional chair of Church Women United thought we should try all regional chairs around the country. And a church peace and justice group leader in California gave us the names of 100 colleagues throughout the state.
From Moscow to Mars--in Idaho and Pennsylvania, that is--and elsewhere throughout the United States and Canada, your friends are receiving their offers this fall. Please encourage them to send for their free issues, and then encourage them to subscribe.
Because reaching out to your friends in this way can effectively increase the Sojourners family of readers, we are planning similar campaigns each year. Watch for the next opportunity to send more names in the spring. We deeply appreciate your continuing help.
YOU ALSO GAVE a tremendous response to our special summer appeal letter. We were facing one of our most difficult financial periods in years, and you responded by sending in more contribution dollars than we've ever received after an appeal. More than 2,000 of you were able to give, totaling more than $58,000.
We feel deeply supported by your generous giving and by the letters of encouragement many of you included with your contributions. We were very touched by the words you shared.
One Midwestern farmer facing difficult financial times himself offered a very helpful contribution. A woman distributing her worldly resources while preparing to make her vows as a Catholic sister gave a generous donation. A retired educator gave a memorial gift in the name of his recently departed wife, who had been a longtime supporter of Sojourners. And a beautiful, 98-years-young woman dug deeply into her meager funds to help us out.
Others of you, who were unable to share financially, sent letters offering prayers and words of support. We are very thankful for every dollar so generously given, every word of encouragement, and every prayer lifted up on our behalf.
The bonds of family we feel with you are as strong now as when we first began. We are grateful to God for such a gift.
Joe Roos was a founder and publisher of Sojourners when this article appeared.
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