gratitude
Why are annual pledges important?
Why should I pledge when I regularly put money in the offering plate?
Do I have to pay when I pledge? Can I pay in installments?
How much should I give with an annual pledge?
What does it mean to give proportionately?
What does the Bible say about how much I should give? What is a “tithe”?
Who knows how much I pledge?
Do I have to pledge to be a voting member of the parish?
Why are annual pledges important?
Annual pledges support everything we do and are at Trinity Church. Our yearly budget is driven by the generosity of our parishioners through annual pledges. These pledges support all the operating costs of our ministry programs as well as our building and staff operations, and expenses such as heating, outreach grants, worship leaflets, and nursery caregivers.
Why should I pledge when I regularly put money in the offering plate?
Loose funds collected each week do help to support the ongoing life of the parish. However, pledges are very important because they enable us to plan responsibly and to establish a parish operating budget for the coming year, just as you might establish a personal budget based on your expected income. Pledging also helps you develop generosity as an intentional spiritual practice: the act of prayerfully making your pledge and then consistently fulfilling it offers you a framework to grow in gratitude and generosity.
Do I have to pay when I pledge? Can I pay in installments?
Returning your pledge card is simply a promise to pay. Once you've made your pledge, you can fulfill it in as many payments as you wish throughout the year. The Stewardship Office offers monthly or weekly pledge envelope booklets designed to help you with your payments.
How much should I give with an annual pledge?
We believe strongly that our standard of giving should reflect our standard of living. We ask each parishioner to consider making a pledge that is both responsible and significant based on his or her financial situation. We provide a proportional giving chart to help you determine this amount. All pledges, regardless of amount, are gratefully received.
What does it mean to give proportionately?
Proportional giving is based on the premise that the first fruits are given back to God in grateful response to what God has given us. It refers to a conscious effort to determine an appropriate level of giving. We ask each parishioner to consider making an annual pledge in proportion to income. It is the teaching of the Episcopal Church and the Biblical norm to give 10 percent of one's income. If that seems daunting, begin with a smaller percentage and work to increase that percentage every year.
What does the Bible say about how much I should give? What is a “tithe”?
Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. –2 Corinthians 9:7
Messages of giving in Scripture are rooted in our gratitude to the God who created us and daily provides for our needs. Biblical giving challenges us to resist cultural messages of scarcity, trusting that there will be enough to meet our needs and those of our neighbors. To help us do this, the Bible offers us the standard of the “tithe”: 10 percent of our earnings to support God’s work. This norm derives from the Old Testament practice in which Israelites gave a tenth of their agricultural produce as an annual offering to God (see Deuteronomy 14:22-29). The Episcopal Church has affirmed the practice of tithing as a minimum standard of giving for all Episcopalians, most recently at its 76th General Convention in 2009.
Who knows how much I pledge?
Trinity Church keeps all pledges strictly confidential. The church’s Stewardship staff, as well as its Finance department, have access to all pledge records and can help you with any questions you might have about your pledge. A small group of church leaders—the congregation’s elected officers and the co-chairs of the Stewardship Committee, appointed by those officers—may in some cases also have access to pledge records for specific purposes. Such persons have signed confidentiality agreements not to disclose any information they receive.
Do I have to pledge to be a voting member of the parish?
All are welcome to participate fully in the ministries of Trinity Church regardless of financial contribution. To vote in the parish’s annual meeting, however, adults must be baptized, participate regularly in Trinity Church’s corporate worship, and commit themselves to serve Christ at Trinity Church through the investment of their time, their talents, and an annual pledge of financial support. Thus a financial pledge is required to be a voting member of the parish. For more information or questions about membership at Trinity, please contact Katie Vogele-Bongiovanni, Membership Coordinator.