ANNUAL PLEDGE Saint John’s embraces the concept that stewardship touches all aspects of our lives and is a year-round responsibility. Each year we focus on the financial stewardship of Saint John’s resources. During the pledge campaign we ask parishioners to make thoughtful, prayerful, and intentional commitments to financially support the ministry and mission of Saint John’s. The pledge campaign is our annual fund; it determines the operating budget that keeps the church going twenty four hours of the day, every day of the year. Pledging is simply promising to give a certain amount of money to Saint John’s in the following year. This is accomplished by completing a pledge form that indicates the amount of your pledge. Does my individual pledge really make a difference? Saint John’s relies on the revenue from the offerings of its members and visitors. At present, around 63% of our annual income comes from pledges, and we need to increase that proportion. We currently do not have reserve or endowment funds from which to draw funds for normal and expected annual expenses. Can I just put my offering in the plate without pledging? Yes, but because we depend on offerings to maintain operations, making a pledge tells us how much Saint John’s will have to carry out our ministry for the coming year, and thereby helps us set our budget. The total amount pledged is critical information that the Vestry uses in making careful and purposeful decisions about church activities, ministry, worship, and building operations during the budget process and throughout the year. On a personal level, pledging also helps transform giving into a spiritual practice. You make a commitment, and fulfilling it becomes a regular practice just like worship and prayer. We welcome everyone to share in celebrating our faith regardless of a pledge and should never let the plate pass without dropping something in it . How do I determine the amount I should pledge? The traditional measure of giving is the tithe. It is the biblical principle whereby you give 10% of what you earn back to God through the church. We encourage you to consider tithing or working toward a tithe. Can I change my pledge if my financial circumstances change? Yes. We understand that circumstances can change over the course of the year. When is my pledge due? The in gathering of pledges will be on December 7th.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 22:16:39 +0000