Community Church of New York Unitarian Universalist 40 East 35 th Street New York, NY May, 2013

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1 Dear Members and Friends of Community: Community Church of New York Unitarian Universalist 40 East 35 th Street New York, NY May, 2013 Welcome to Community Church s new pledge procedure. We hope that you find it easy to use and that we save a tree or two in the process. Those who do not use will receive a copy of this message by regular mail with a traditional pledge sheet to be returned to the church office. If you have any questions about the procedure, you may contact George Duckett in the evening at If you made a pledge last year, thank you! It is reflected in the year s total Annual Pledge of $72,000. In order for Community Church to maintain its sound financial footing and preserve our ongoing programs, our goal this year for the Annual Pledge Drive is $92,000, so any increase in your contribution would be greatly appreciated. If this is you first time pledging (or it has been a while), we are glad you will be joining us in this year's campaign. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Please browse the Reference Material below. When you are ready to pledge, click on the Contribution Link just below the signatures of this letter to make your contribution (Note: You may have to hit Enable Editing at the top of this page and hold down the Ctrl key when clicking on the contribution link or other targets). The Contribution Link brings you to a blank page where you may type your pledge amount along with any comments that you would like to convey to the church. After completing your entry, hit send to your pledge. Thank you for your cooperation and generous support. In Faith, Theresa Bowman Co-Chair of the Pledge Campaign George Duckett, Co-Chair of the Pledge Campaign Rev. Bruce Southworth, Senior Minister Lisa Gluck, Chair of the Board of Trustees CONTRIBUTION LINK> mailto:gjduckett@earthlink.net?subject=2014 Pledge <CONTRIBUTION LINK Reference Material Table of Contents Our_Growing_Community Highlights_of_Community_Living Giving Guide Frequently_Asked_Questions

2 Our Growing Community Having survived the winters' storms, CCNY is experiencing a rebirth and renewal. Our social justice work and religious education are as strong as ever. We have elected a board and revised our bylaws. Our organ once again fills the sanctuary with sweet music, as members welcome new additions to our congregation. Community's special events entertain, enlighten inspire and sustain us spiritually, but unfortunately, our fundraisers have not made as significant an impact on operating expenses. Therefore, as we celebrate achievements and address unfinished business, we turn to you, our members and friends. Why an annual pledge drive? Because if it's done correctly it captures attention and brings results! Let's Give until it feels Good. See Sunday's Community News and the E-Newsletter for our Gratitude List of members and friends who have pledged Go_to_Contribution_Link Highlights of Community Living ( ) Special Events & Speakers Joel Mandelbaum -Concert, Organ Restoration Project Dr. David McKanan - Emerson Professor, Harvard Divinity School

3 Dr. Mark Morrison-Reed-Weekend at Community Dr Cliff Durand & Prof Naima Mohamed -UNGAC forum & lunch John Washburn - AMICC 'Murray Hill and Beyond 'Neighborhood Art Show at Gallery 35 Haiti "Alternative Fuels Changing Lives" a UNGAC presentation 'Efficiently Learning Music' with Jerry Brown, CCNY music director Harriet Tubman Cantata-Community volunteer and professional choir Carol Gilligan lecture at Community Women's annual luncheon Virginia Asman - solo show at Gallery 35 Confronting FGC and "Heart blood " a Community Women presentation Activities & Committees Yoga Interpretations and Hindu Teachings Reiki and Meditation Buddhism Practice 'Sipping and Searching' Secular Humanism Society UU Christian Fellowship Handel's Messiah Christmas Holiday dinner, parties and craft fair Community Seder International dinners Spring Retreat at Warwick N.Y. Church Services Auction Homeless Shelter: B.J. s and Helene s Place Action for Justice Membership Committee Events Community Circles Social Tea Book Study Group Esperanto Society Green Sanctuary Resistance Cinema UU Women Anti-Racism Team Religious Education United Nations Global Affairs Committee

4 Go_to_Contribution_Link Giving Guide ANNUAL INCOME ($) PERCENTAGE OF INCOME (%) WEEKLY AMOUNT ($) ANNUAL AMOUNT ($) 10, , , , ,000 50, ,500 Over 60, ,100 + Over 100, ,000 + Go_to_Contribution_Link Frequently Asked Questions What is the Annual Fund? What does it support? The Annual Fund is a general operating fund that helps to pay for the CCNY s immediate expenses including: Worship Music Religious Education Committees Facilities Personnel Administration Denomination Professional Services Why should I give to the Annual Fund? Income from the Annual Fund is the primary source of the money used to support the church sponsored activities and the maintenance of the church s buildings. Contributions to the Annual Fund go directly to the support of all of the ongoing programs of the church and the maintenance of the Hall of Worship and all of the other buildings that are part to the church. Can I earmark my Annual Fund contribution for a specific purpose? Not easily. Money donated to the Annual Fund is distributed according to established priorities. Probably the best way to make a personal difference in a particular activity is to participate in it. What are the tax benefits of making a gift to the CCNY? The CCNY is a registered religious organization. Your gifts to the CCNY are tax-deductible according to IRS regulations.

5 How can I make a gift to the Annual Fund? You may make a gift to the Annual Fund by responding to the new pledge procedure, or by filling out a standard pledge sheet and giving it to anyone on the Board of Trustees or any member of Pledge Drive Committee. George Duckett, the Co-Chair of the Pledge Drive Committee may be reached at Is the Community Church of New York (CCNY) operating at a deficit? How much? The budgeted deficit for is $330,841 with a proposed $20,000 reduction in the deficit for Will my gift help to reduce the deficit? Your gift will help achieve our goal to reduce the deficit each year and build a culture of stewardship at Community Church. Can I make my gift contingent on deficit reduction? Community Church policy is to reduce the budgeted deficit by 5% each year until balance is achieved. Your contingency is built in! How many voting members does CCNY have? Currently CCNY has 233 voting members. These voting members represent 155 pledge units. The difference is couples who make one pledge and represent two voting members. What is the average pledge among these members? The average pledge to the Annual Fund was $580. How does the CCNY average compare to average of all other UU congregations? Community church is well below the average UU pledge. Go_to_Contribution_Link

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