Did you miss our pledge drive launch on Sunday?
Here are the remarks made by Pledge Team member John Boyle announcing the start of UUCC’s Annual Pledge Drive on Sunday, February 27, 2022.
Good morning, friends. I’m John Boyle. I’m a member of the team that’s working on this year’s pledge drive.
Some of you are well aware of what our annual pledge drive means to the congregation. But for those of you who are newer to UUCC, let me talk a little bit more to you.
Most of the congregation’s finances comes from pledges that Members and Friends of the congregation make.
UUCC does not set financial obligations like a tithe or dues for you to be part of our community, though pledging is a covenantal responsibility of membership. Because of that, we need a way to plan our budget for the next fiscal year.
So once a year at this time, we ask: What will you commit of your financial resources to help the congregation do its work in the coming year? You decide on an amount that you can commit to, and that becomes your pledge for the year.
The amount you pledge will determine what priorities the congregation can pursue. Once we know what everyone is willing and able to pledge, the Executive Team creates a budget that the congregation then votes on at our Annual Meeting. The budget is built around what we have available in terms of finances for our next twelve months of ministry together. It determines our ministry priorities, our staffing, our supplies — everything!
That brings us to why I’m here before you today. Today is the start of our pledge drive. Over the days and weeks to come, the congregation needs YOU to think about what YOUR pledge for the 2022-2023 year will be.
So, let me now — on this Generosity Sunday — invite you to “pledge meaningfully.” A meaningful pledge is one that you really feel. It’s not passive or rote, but an active declaration of what you value.
If you’re unsure of exactly how much to pledge, we have pledging tools available online — such as the UU Fair Share Guide — to help you think about that.
Once you have decided how much you’re going to pledge, you just tell us! You’ll be receiving a mailing this week, as well as an e-mail from the Pledge Team that are intended to help you make your pledge. You can fill out the paper form and mail it back in, or use the online form to declare what you’re going to do.
We know that some of you will decide pretty quickly — and that is great! For those of you who may take a little longer, or who want to talk about pledging, a few of us will reach out by phone and e-mail to answer questions you might have and to help you get to a point where you are comfortable making a truly meaningful pledge.
Now, this pledge of yours is for the upcoming fiscal year: the one that starts this July 1 and ends next June. So you don’t have worry about paying off your pledge immediately; you’re just declaring what it will be.
Once July rolls around, then you’ll start fulfilling your pledges. Some folks do it in one lump annual payment, others send a monthly check, while others — like me — set up a recurring payment online via our website. You decide what works best for you.
I’m making my pledge today. And it’s going to be a meaningful one. I invite you to consider the meaning that UUCC has brought into your life, and decide how you want to fuel the congregation for the year to come.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the UUCC staff or to me. If you have any questions, please feel free to seek me out and I’ll answer your questions to the best of my ability.
Thank you for your time today, your consideration, and thank you in advance for your generosity!
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