As you may have heard, we are changing our calendar-year pledge cycle to instead track our church’s fiscal year, which begins on July 1. Having a more accurate picture of income over the course of the whole year – instead of guesstimating for 6 months – will give our leaders and staff better information and higher confidence in budgeting and planning. This confidence, and your support, are critical to our covenantal community and to supporting our mission and ministry.
In addition, we’ve had two Stewardship campaigns over the past 12 months: our winter pledge drive and then the special Sustainability Campaign in March when so many of us made fresh commitments to lift up our collective vision and assure its future.
All this has created a bit of ambiguity in pledging. It’s important that all members know that your current mission-critical annual pledge will be extended – just this once – to cover the 6 months from January 1, 2019 to June 30, 2019; the gap created by switching from calendar-year to fiscal-year pledging. Again, this is the ONLY time we will have an expectation for an 18-month pledge.
To those who have already fulfilled your 18-month pledge, thank you so much for your support and amazing commitment to making a difference in our church and in the wider world.
To those fulfilling your pledge monthly – whether via monthly bill payments or automated debits – just keep right on. We ask that you continue to pay monthly at your current level until the next pledge year begins July 1, 2019. Thank you for your constancy and devotion to our beloved community.
If you normally make a single payment to fulfill your pledge but haven’t yet made your donation, you may choose to
- Make one payment for 18 months before December 31, 2018 (which maximizes the tax deduction for this year). For example, if your annual pledge is $2000, you would make a one-time payment of $3000 that would cover the 18 months from January 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019.
- Make two payments that total an 18-month pledge. For example, if your annual pledge is $2000, you could make one $2000 pledge payment before December 31, 2018 and then another $1000 payment before June 30, 2019.
Of course, any manner you choose to meet your generous commitment and support our call to a more loving and just society is warmly welcomed, and deeply appreciated throughout our community. Fulfilling your pledge sooner provides the church with a predictable cash flow to cover our ongoing covenants with staff, along with inspiring worship services, community engagement, faith development for young and old, and a myriad of beloved and vibrant programs. It also helps keep our carefully husbanded financial reserves intact and available for the proverbial rainy day.
Feel free to speak with Gretchen Goetz, Kit Shaw, Rev. Greg, Jacki Weber, or Finance Assistant Nancy Thompson to ask questions and discuss options for pledge fulfillment, including monthly giving, raising your pledge in December, and transfers of stock or other assets that might have further tax benefits. We’ve also improved our online giving platform. There’s an app for that!
As we travel together through this truly transformative and inspirational time in our church life, we see new energy and new possibilities. Thank you for investing in UUSM and our important work in the world.
– Stewardship Committee
Co-Chairs Gretchen Goetz and Kit Shaw
