PLEDGING, TITHING, GIVING
Honor our history. Enrich our present. Anticipate our future.
What’s It All About?
At Trinity, we know that financial stewardship is an important component of a balanced spiritual life. Returning to God from that which God has given us is a tangible way to express our faith. When each of us gives as we are able, together we fund ministry within our church, to the community, and to the world.
Pledging
What is a Pledge?
A pledge is an estimate of giving; some call it a statement of intent. Your pledge amount may be changed, increased or decreased during the year, at any time as your financial circumstances change.
Why should I pledge?
Pledging allows you to make intentional decisions about your financial giving. When you plan ahead for your giving, you make conscious choices about spending your money in ways that reflect your faith and values. Receiving your pledge allows our Consistory, the church’s governing board, to do for our parish community what you do for your household: plan wisely for the use our resources in support of the mission and ministry to which God has called us. The Consistory sets a budget based on the total amount pledged to the church. While plate offerings are important to the parish, your pledge lets the Consistory plan more accurately for the ministry we can accomplish.
How do I pledge?
While our annual giving campaign is held in the fall, pledges may be made at any time by downloading and completing a pledge card or pledging online.
How do I pay my pledge?
You may pay weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly via cash, checks, PayPal, or electronic fund transfer (EFT). You may initiate your own credit card payments via Paypal or the church can charge your credit card. You may also pay your pledge with a donation of stock. Many companies have matching funds for charitable donations. If your company has such a plan, please let us know.
How much should I pledge?
Determining the amount of your annual pledge is between you and God. However, as you make this important decision, reflecting on your vision of stewardship may be beneficial. Bishop Claude Payne, retired Bishop of Texas, has a helpful perspective on a common maturation of the Christian Vision of Stewardship. Bishop Payne suggests that we consider our personal vision of stewardship in terms of a spectrum:
• I give because I am supposed to give — a sense of duty
• I give to pay my own way — a sense of fairness
• I give to return a portion of my blessings — a sense of gratitude
• I give to keep church ministries free to all — a sense of generosity
There is no secret as to how you move along this progression. However, when you push yourself to another level, you will find your faithfulness expanding as well.
Tithing
What is Proportionate Giving?
Trinity is committed to proportional giving, with the goal of tithing (10%). If you are not pledging 10%, pledge a lower percentage and consider increasing your pledge each year. We ask that you prayerfully consider what level of giving is right for you and your family.
What is a Tithe?
A tithe is 10% of your income. The church recognizes that many persons choose to divide their tithe among the church and other worthy organizations. A tithe may sound like an unattainable goal to begin with, but if you start with a certain proportion of your income and increase the percentage each year, you will be tithing in a short time. You could start with 5%, a half tithe. Another option is 2½%, which is equivalent to pledging the first hour’s pay of a 40-hour work week. The “Giving Percentage” chart below may help.
Your pledge matters!
Where you start or whether you tithe on your annual or gross income is not nearly as important as simply making your first pledge. Every pledge make a difference, regardless of the amount.
How many households make an annual pledge?
Over the past five years, the pledge participation has grown from –% to –%. This is wonderful. However, our goal is to increase participation even more. Please make a pledge, even if the amount is not as much as you’d like it to be. Every pledge and everyone is needed.
What if I make a pledge but find I can’t pay it in full?
Parishioners raise and lower their pledge all the time. A pledge is an estimate to help church budgeting; it is not a legal or moral obligation. Please don’t let your uncertainty prevent you from making a pledge. If you have financial difficulties or other unexpected events, simply notify the Pastor.
Isn’t there additional income that supplements the budget?
–% of the budget comes from gifts from congregation members. While the average pledge last year was $–, half of the pledges were under $–. The remaining –% of the budget comes from the garage, building rental and investment income from bequests. Trinity depends on your faithfulness and generosity. Our ministries are supported by the commitment you make.
Questions?
If you have questions about financial stewardship or tithing, Pastor Kirsten is happy to talk with you.
Giving
Most of us are familiar with the traditional method of bequeathing money or other property to an organization in our will. This is an excellent way to support Trinity. There are other ways to contribute that you may wish to consider, as well. The making of a gift or establishment of a trust to benefit the endowment during your life contributes to Trinity and may also be a prudent step in your own income or estate tax planning. The most common gifts are cash and stock or other securities. It is possible, however, to make a gift of almost anything of value that you own, including life insurance policies, annuities, and real property.
Trusts can be structured in many different ways. An attorney or financial advisor can advise you as to how to tailor one to your particular situation and needs. As just one example, it is possible to set up a trust under which you reserve to yourself the income from stocks or other property for your life or for a specified period of time, with the stocks going outright to the Endowment Fund you select at the end of the trust period. Or, you can do the opposite: set up a trust under which the endowment fund receives income from stock or other property for a period of years, after which the stock goes to your descendants or other beneficiaries.
Gifts to Trinity qualify for the maximum allowable federal income tax charitable deduction. In addition, gifts to the Foundation are fully deductible for federal estate and gift tax purposes. Your attorney or other advisor can explain the particular tax benefits of trust arrangements such as those described above. All gifts to Trinity are for the benefit of the church.
Those who wish for their gift principal to be retained through time so that distributions from earnings will be available in perpetuity may choose to direct their gift to the endowment.
A gift directed to Trinity’s General Operating Fund provides the church with a flexible gift, one that the Consistory can direct to fill special needs. Additional funds you may designate as recipients include the Memorial Fund for maintaining and upgrading our facilities and the Deacon’s Fund for helping congregation members in need.
Stewardship Overview
Stewardship is responsibility for taking good care of resources entrusted to one. At Trinity, we are being good stewards by taking care of each other and our neighbors through our financial support of our church family through an Annual Giving pledge. Additionally, we are good stewards by giving of our time, talent and energy to the many ministry opportunities offered at and through Trinity. We are all asked to give back joyfully to God in thanksgiving for the abundance He has given us through our pledges of time, talent and treasure! Share your Priceless Joy!!
Each household should base their financial pledge upon a percent of income. Tithing (giving the first tenth or 10%) is a Holy Habit that should be the practice or goal of each member of Trinity. If it is a goal, one can use increases in proportional giving to grow into this Holy Habit. Just as we grow in faith, we continually strive for growth in our stewardship response to meet this standard of giving.
We are extremely grateful to the households that make a pledge each year. Your commitment supports the work of Jesus Christ both within and beyond the walls of Trinity.