March 2007
March is the month when this church conducts its annual canvass. We have to do this even if $$$$ is perceived as more the domain of Mamon than where a church should be paying attention. Because we have exenses we must have income and the income can only come from us, the membership.
It is not unusual for people, especially new-comers among us, to ask me, “How much should I pledge?” Because I have no idea what your resources are nor do I know your expenses I cannot answer that question for anyone but me. I would like to bring to your attention the following. We are not presently raising all that we need. An increase over last year’s pledge would help rectify that. Know too that the church incurs some expense from your membership. If we pay our full fair share of the UUA Annual Program Fund, the NH/VT District dues and add the church’s costs of mailings, Parish Notes and other mailings, that comes to about $100.00 per member. This means, to put it bluntly, if you are pledging as one person, the first $100.00 of your pledge does not support the church, it supports you. Your actual pledge to the church begins after the first $100.00.
Do not think of your pledge as coming from “discretionary income”. Discretionary income implies money we don’t really need and who the heck has any of that? I don’t know what works best for you but it is easier for me to think of my pledge as a monthly expense and pay it monthly. The numbers are far less imposing that way and if I include the church pledge in my regular budgeting process it gets paid regularly and I don’t think in terms of the “big number.”
We become the church of our best possibilities through your generosity. Stewardship. It’s a beautiful thing.
Have you been reluctant to sign on as Service Leader because you would rather not be Worship Associate? The former does not obligate you to the latter. If you sign on to be Service Leader, I will contact you and offer the opportunity to be Worship Associate but you are perfectly free to decline. Being Service Leader gives you dibs on being Worship Associate but does not commit you to doing it.
Amities and love,
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