Introducing Mahogany Circle

Hello my friends!

I wanted to share a story with you. Today, in a small way, you become an even deeper part of the PathLight story.

About two years ago, I was hanging out with three other PathLight board members for a weekend of golf, wine, laughter, and deep discussions. We talked about how PathLight has always focused on relationships in our work, and how we could deepen our relationships with donors.

Out of those conversations came what we call The Mahogany Circle.

It’s not a fundraising plan or a strategic direction for PathLight. It’s simply a way for our team to enrich your life by offering resources, reflections, and encouragement about generosity as a spiritual gift.

A few months ago, we gathered some of our most faithful donors and talked through the idea. With feedback from this group, we simplified the plan and opened it up to all who support PathLight.

Why “mahogany”? The mahogany tree is Belize’s national tree, a symbol of strength, legacy, and shelter. It grows slowly, puts down deep roots, and lasts for generations. That’s the kind of growth we’re hoping for: in the lives of students and teachers in Belize, and in our own spiritual journeys too.

So what does this mean for you? Well, if you regularly ignore my emails, not much!

But if you’re interested, here’s what it looks like:

The Mahogany Letter. About once a month, a few of us at PathLight will send you something we hope you find interesting, helpful, and occasionally challenging. It might be a short reflection, a story of spiritual transformation (through PathLight or somewhere else), a verse or prayer to sit with, a podcast, an article, a sermon, or a book we can’t stop talking about. Sometimes it’ll be an invitation to join a PathLight prayer time on Zoom. These aren’t meant to be skimmed. They’re meant to be savored, and we’ll respect your time. We’ll collect everything on our blog so you can come back to it.

And if you come across something that’s shaped you, send it my way. Some of the best ideas will come from you.

The Mahogany Table. Every couple of years, we hope to gather around a table: great meals, good stories, guest speakers who spark thought, and time for spiritual formation. And not just PathLight with donors, but donors getting to know each other. The only ask? “Who else in your life might belong at this table?” We’ll start small and see how it goes, so more on that down the road.

And yes, I know the obvious question: “Yeah, fine, Goble. But isn’t this just a way to get me to give more money?”

My answer is yes … and no.

Yes, I hope it encourages all of us to be more generous. That’s part of our spiritual formation.

But no, the goal isn’t to increase your giving to PathLight. In fact, we’ve intentionally decided not to measure whether The Mahogany Circle does that. We genuinely want to give something back to you and help all of us become wiser stewards of what we’ve been given.

If this works the way we hope, someday you’ll say, “Every month I receive something that grounds me spiritually,” and, “I’m not just funding a mission—I’m living one.”

I’ll share more soon. For now, thanks for reading this, and thank you for consistently practicing the spiritual gift of generosity.