How Stewardship Works

Transcription

1 How Stewardship Works People come to First Church from many different faith traditions. The essence of our Congregational way is that each congregation is independent and manages its own affairs. We decide for ourselves what happens in our church, 365 days a year. We choose our own ministers and staff, and how to compensate them fairly. We decide how to care for our church home and how we can help change what s possible in communities beyond our own. Every member has a voice, and all are called to support for our church community. It takes about 1.6 million dollars and countless volunteer hours to keep First Church thriving for a year. What to expect. Our annual pledge drive begins on Stewardship Sunday, usually in early November. A few days later, a mailing of what we hope are inspiring materials comes to your home, with a pledge form to send in. (You can also pledge online at iamfirstchurch.com.) You may get a call from someone on the stewardship committee and/or follow-up if we don t hear from you. You don t have to donate any money until the following year. We use the total of the pledges to set our budget for the church s fiscal year, which begins on July 1st. The budget process

2 happens in the spring, and the congregation gathers to vote on the budget in June. What does stewardship pay for? OUR CHURCH HOME Care for our buildings, campus, and cemeteries. Utilities, communications and systems. STAFF SALARIES Our clergy, administrators, and operational staff who keep our church running 365 days a year. Over 18 people work at First Church (not including the Preschool). YOUTH PROGRAMS Church school, confirmation class, Junior and Senior Pilgrim Fellowship. THE MUSIC OF FIRST CHURCH All the ways and days that we make a joyful noise unto the Lord and for each other. SUNDAY WORSHIP Always a great sermon, and much, much more, are at the heart of the First Church experience. CONGREGATION CARE Programs for adults, parish relations, pastoral care, outdoor ministries, and our health and wellness programs.

3 OUTREACH The ways that we connect with people and communities around us and serve others. What level of support is expected? We ask our members to pledge what their circumstances allow. Some pledges are very modest -- $20 or $50 a month while other pledges are 5 figures. The average pledge is $3,000 a year. When do I have to fulfill my pledge? Any time before the next full calendar year ends. So, for our pledge drive in November 2016, you have until December 31 st, 2017 to fulfill the whole amount. The timing is up to you. It s important to make a pledge because we use the expected total to create a budget and plan our church year. What are the ways I can make my payment? By check, any time or in any amount, payable to First Church, FCCOG, or First Congregational Church of Greenwich. You can put it in the collection plate or mail to Steve Summerton, CFO, First Congregational Church, 108 Sound Beach Avenue, Old Greenwich, CT

4 By credit card at fccog.org. You can fulfill your pledge in whole or in part on our secure website, where you can also become a monthly Sustainer via automatic monthly credit card payments or bank account withdrawals. (Note: these new electronic options are brought to you by the stewardship committee!) Does the money I put in the collection plate count as stewardship? It can, but not always. Many members fulfill their stewardship pledges by putting checks into the plate any time during the year. We keep a tally of what each member contributes in this way. (There s no need to write stewardship on the memo line, but it can t hurt.) Cash in the collection plate doesn t register as stewardship unless you put it in a stewardship envelope, so we can track it. You can request stewardship envelopes from the church office. Do I get a statement of where I stand on fulfilling my pledge? Yes. When you go to fccog.org, then click the MyFirstChurch button* on the upper right, you can enter your payment details. You will also have real time updated information about the status of your pledge there. You can also call Steve Summerton in the church office for an up to-date accounting. (* If this is your first time with MyFirstChurch, please click and read the LOGIN INFO

5 first.) You can also call Steve Summerton in the church office for an up-to-date accounting. Is stewardship tax deductible? Generally yes, 100% for individuals. And because you have more than a year to fulfill your pledge you can make some or all of your contribution in the year that s most advantageous to you. If pledges are paid through foundations, IRA distributions or other tax-favored accounts, they may not be deductible. We recommend that you seek the advice of a professional tax expert to determine how these rules apply to you. Does every member pledge? We hope every member will pledge at least something, but some cannot or do not for a variety of reasons. We welcome all who come to First Church. My income fluctuates. It s hard to make a specific pledge. Pledges reflect what members think they will be able to contribute in the year ahead. If your circumstances change, you can give less (or more!) than you pledge. My income is small, so my pledge might be too small to matter. You d be surprised what just a few dollars can do in the world. (Ask any pastor.) No gift is too small. And if you can pledge just a few

6 dollars, we can celebrate you in our annual report right alongside our biggest donors. Nobody has a dollar amount next to their name at First Church. What happens if pledges fall short? We can only have programs and staff that our congregation is able to support over time. Our endowment can cover shortfalls for a year or two, but we d have to make cuts pretty soon after that. Does First Church have other sources of income? Yes. Tuitions at our non-denominational pre-school provide about 17% of our annual operating budget. Annual distributions from the church endowment provide another 17%. A half-dozen other sources add up to an additional 9%. Individual stewardship contributions pay for 57% of everything we do at First Church. Does First Church get funding from the UCC? No. In fact we have to pay dues about $7,000 a year. Last year we also contributed $10,000 to the UCC outreach fund ( Our Church s Wider Mission ).