Giving FAQ
Churches and public radio are some of the only places you heard the word "pledge" these days. And "stewardship"? What's that? As followers of Jesus, we've noticed that there is whole lot of talk about money in the Bible. We feel compelled to take seriously God's call to act as stewards of the resources we have. Stewardship is about all the ways we - as individuals, and as a faith community - use our money, our skills, and our time to be the hands and feet of Christ in our community and our world.
Members of Christ Congregation are expected to support our shared work together with their prayers, presence, gifts, and service. Part of this support is financial and most of our members make a commitment each year to pledge a certain amount. That pledge helps our church leaders create an annual budget. This process of pondering our pledges and prayerfully considering what we can each contribute typically happens each fall and we call it the Stewardship Campaign. We've put together a set of FAQs about Giving to help you understand more about this process.
Members of Christ Congregation are expected to support our shared work together with their prayers, presence, gifts, and service. Part of this support is financial and most of our members make a commitment each year to pledge a certain amount. That pledge helps our church leaders create an annual budget. This process of pondering our pledges and prayerfully considering what we can each contribute typically happens each fall and we call it the Stewardship Campaign. We've put together a set of FAQs about Giving to help you understand more about this process.
|
What is a “pledge?”
Basically, it’s a commitment. You’re saying, “This is what I think I can give every month to help make Christ Congregation grow and thrive. Before Thanksgiving we collect the pledge cards and bless them, asking God to help us uphold our commitment and to use the gifts we give for the betterment of the world. Why should I pledge if I already put money in the offering basket? Funds collected in the offering basket each week do support Christ Congregation's life and mission, and are greatly appreciated. However, pledges are critical because they enable us to plan responsibly and to establish an operating budget for the coming year, just as you might establish a personal budget based on your expected income. We also believe pledging is an important Christian spiritual practice, enabling us to grow intentionally in gratitude and generosity in every part of our lives. How much should I pledge? This is a very personal decision. The traditional answer is 10% of your income. For some, that is way too hard right now. Each person's stewardship journey is different. If giving 10% seems daunting, consider starting with a pledge of just 1% or 2% of your income and each year prayerfully consider taking a “step up.” What if I prefer to give when I feel like it? We understand. Believe us, we get it. We also know that giving is a spiritual discipline, and when you pledge, you feel more ownership and empowerment to be part of the church. We get the hesitation, but our experience is that when we give regularly, it changes us (for the better!). How much does it cost to run a church, anyway? Budgeted expenses for our church in 2017 are about $198,000. We tithe 10% of our income to various community organization doing God's work in the world. How does pledging help the church? Pledges help your church leaders make a plan for our ministry together in the coming year. We can act with more confidence if we know what’s likely to come in. Giving by automatic withdrawal helps even more, because we know it will be regular and dependable. I can barely survive on the money I’m making. How can I still participate? A pledge can be a very small amount if it’s what you can do. A pledge can also be a promise of service. Perhaps you can consider a way to stretch yourself in that way. Either way, if it helps you practice generosity, it’s a spiritual win. Can I give if I don’t use cash or checks? Yes! We offer electronic giving here. |
|