Are members required to give?Yes, our by-laws stipulate that members are required to make an annual financial commitment (usually this is in the form of a pledge and payments on that pledge). The congregation depends upon your pledge and those of all other members to create a realistic annual budget for the upcoming year. We welcome pledges or donations from visitors as well. We also take Sunday offerings (in addition to the annual pledge). Half of each offering goes to support a social justice cause our social justice ministry is involved in.
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When do I give?Our fiscal year begins July 1 each year. In the months prior to July 1, usually January - March, we hold our annual budget drive or pledge campaign so that the Finance Committee can draft a budget in April and the congregation can vote on it in May. This campaign may be an all-congregation special event, a cottage meeting in which 10 or 12 congregants meet together, or a one-on-one meeting with a visiting steward, another member of the congregation. All annual budget drives, no matter the form, involve asking congregants for input regarding what is or isn't working for the congregation.
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How do I give? |
Should all give the same? |
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You may pay your pledge on any schedule convenient to you: monthly, quarterly, annually, at the beginning of the year, or any other time that works best for you. There are several ways to pay your pledge:
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No. People and families are different. We all have different amounts of time, energy, talent, and financial resources to share. Many of us support other worthy causes as well. Your pledge should be consistent with (1) your life circumstances, hopes, dreams and ideals and (2) with the gratitude you feel for this congregation and its importance in your life. Your pledge should also reflect the legacy you want to leave to this congregation.
Existing and new membersWhether you are an existing member or a new member, during the annual budget drive (January - March) you will be asked to pledge for the next year, beginning July 1st. New members also need to make a pledge for the current year on joining the congregation. However, those joining after January 1st, will be asked to pledge two times: once for the current year, ending June 30th; and once (along with the rest of the congregation) for the upcoming year that begins on July 1st.
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Are there guidelines for giving?
Yes. The Fair Share Giving Guide, published by the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) allows you adjust your giving to the particular circumstances of your life as well as your desire to support this congregation. It is used in UU congregations across the country.
We also hope that the more you become involved in the congregation and the more you benefit from your involvement, the more you will share with it.
We also hope that the more you become involved in the congregation and the more you benefit from your involvement, the more you will share with it.
How is my pledge used?
The Concrete Answer
Your pledge and other donations pay for all UUCQC operational costs including staffing, committee and team work, building maintenance, supplies, utilities, etc. Your pledge funds the entire church budget, supporting our great worship services (including music), religious education programs, social justice programs, in short - all of the congregation's activities. It costs approximately $1,300 per member to fund the congregation for a year. Your pledge also helps sustain the UUA and the Mid America Region of the UUA.
The Ultimate Answer
Pledges and other financial gifts make it possible or this congregation to fulfill its mission and vision - to move minds and hearts and to change lives, within our congregation and in the world around us.
Your pledge and other donations pay for all UUCQC operational costs including staffing, committee and team work, building maintenance, supplies, utilities, etc. Your pledge funds the entire church budget, supporting our great worship services (including music), religious education programs, social justice programs, in short - all of the congregation's activities. It costs approximately $1,300 per member to fund the congregation for a year. Your pledge also helps sustain the UUA and the Mid America Region of the UUA.
The Ultimate Answer
Pledges and other financial gifts make it possible or this congregation to fulfill its mission and vision - to move minds and hearts and to change lives, within our congregation and in the world around us.
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