What is Stewardship? Stewardship is the process by which members (and other interested parties) of the church support and fund the programs and expenses of the church (see more details on this below). These expenses are approved annually by the members in the budget process. Stewardship is also known as "tithing."

Who is expected to participate? It is the expectation of the church that everyone who is either a member or participates in the activities of the church will give of their treasure, time, and/or talents.

Doesn't the UCC (United Church of Christ) fund our church? No, in fact the opposite is true. The church funds the UCC (an umbrella organization serving a diverse community of churches) through annual dues per member and also through giving by the missions committee. Every member church is responsible for raising the money to pay its own expenses.

What specifically does Stewardship fund? It funds the operating budget of the church which covers salaries and benefits, building operating and maintenance/repair costs, administrative expenses, committee expenses (such as music and Christian education), and more. This is how we pay our pastors for example. The church owns 3 buildings – the sanctuary, the chapel/office/school complex, and the parsonage.

Isn't it sufficient to give to the plate when in church? No. Although some members still like to drop money in the plate when they attend Sunday services, like any family or business that tries to do budgeting, it is difficult for the church to plan and manage its budget when we do not know exactly how much money we can count on. So it’s important that members give to the church regularly throughout the year, in order to cover expenses that are incurred all year long. Monies given to the plate do help fund some of the expenses, but are not sufficient to cover most of them.

How much should a member or family pledge? Although 10% of income is the amount traditionally associated with "tithing," 3% of income is a good amount to pledge. For example if the family's income is $75,000 then $2250 (or $43 a week) would be a reasonable pledge.

What is the pledging process? The Stewardship committee runs an annual stewardship campaign which typically kicks off in the Fall and concludes by Thanksgiving, so that the Trustees can set the budget for the upcoming calendar year. Letters and pledge cards are mailed to everyone in the church at that time, but are also available for pledging year round. New members are welcome (and encouraged) to start contributing as soon as they join the church.

Can I make one big pledge for the year? Can I give regularly throughout the year? Many people like to make a weekly or monthly pledge, but there are also those who give once at the beginning of the year. Pledge envelopes are available for those who wish to put something in the plate each week.

If you give once annually or monthly is it possible to still put something in the plate each week? Yes! In fact many people simply put an empty envelope in the plate each week.

What if I'm not in church every week? You can mail in your contributions using mailing envelopes provided by the stewardship committee.