Rooted in Love: Stewardship Giving for 2023
Click here to fill out a 2023 Pledge Form
NOTE: If you currently give electronically and plan to continue to (thank you!), PLEASE STILL FILL OUT A NEW PLEDGE FORM
For more information about giving electronically, see below.
Dear Friends,
My husband Phil and I joined our church more than 20 years ago. It’s been a great spiritual home for us. We’ve worshiped and learned here. We’ve served on various boards and committees. We’ve met good friends here. Our daughters, now in their 20s, loved youth group and choir. They were able to grow in their faith, and as people, going on youth mission trips, and participating in volunteer activities. They found some of their closest friends here, too. We continue to participate in the life of our congregation because it continues to be meaningful for us today.
Of course, the last couple of years have hit our congregation hard. Like most other churches, the COVID-19 pandemic was a challenge no one could have predicted. In addition, we were carrying the burden of the property next door at 1180 Great Plain. But now the pandemic is shifting to something more chronic, and 1180 is sold at last.
Now we can think about the future of our church. We can reflect on the lessons of the last few years and imagine how we can “Be the Church” in the years ahead, both a spiritual home for us and a lively gathering place for groups who share our commitment to a better, more humane world. Currently we host a preschool program; a childcare program associated with our public schools; multiple theater programs for youth; a music program for toddlers; a ballet school; a quilting group; community concerts; regular community meals and diaper distribution; 12-step programs; a support group for parents of gender-non-conforming kids. And that’s just the beginning of what we can be and do in partnership with God and our local community.
Through my current work on the church Board of Directors, I’ve learned just how much it costs to keep our church going. In 2023, our staff salaries and benefits, building maintenance, and utilities along with other program costs will total around $780,000. Church members have continued to give, but our pledging continues to leave a gap. Sure, we can make up some of that with money drawn from our endowment–and we do–but that’s meant to be a safety net, not the lion’s share.
If we want to keep the church strong, vital, and even growing in service to the Gospel, we have to grow our stewardship giving. Our stewardship campaign goal this year is $450,000. Given the number of pledges we received last year, our average pledge this year needs to be about $5,500 in order to reach this goal–and of course, more pledges period would be great, too! (See the reverse for some handy tables to help calculate your pledge.)
We recognize this is a personal spiritual decision for each giver, and some will need to give less, and we’re grateful for it. But we hope we can count on those who can do more to please give more. Please think about what it means to you to “Be the Church,” in worship and far beyond, and make a pledge to the stewardship campaign that is meaningful to you this year. Thank you.
Peace,
Lynn Gotwals
2023 Stewardship Committee
Set Up Electronic Giving Through Vanco Here
The very most efficient way you can help is to make your pledge contribution online. That's something you easily can set up through your own bank's website, and they will send us a physical check, Even better, you can go through the very secure Vanco system at the link below and have that money sent directly, electronically, without anyone even having to go to the mailbox. Thank you for your generosity.
--> ClICK HERE TO SET UP A DONATION WiTH VANCO
--> ClICK HERE TO SET UP A DONATION WiTH VANCO