“Our giving is an expression of our faith. It’s an expression of our commitment to serve as a strong, bright witness to God’s love in the world…”
Your gift determines what we can plan for and what we can do through our ministries of ministries of mercy, justice, and beauty, through our worship and programs that touch the lives within and beyond our church’s doors. Click the button below to make a one-time gift now or to set up a recurring auto gift. A secure form will open in a new tab that will give you options for how to direct your gift; if you have an account in Realm, our church database, you will be prompted to log in to your account. If you would like to commit to ongoing support of the church, we encourage you to pledge; please scroll down.
Within your ability to give, there are still many choices to make. People sometimes want guidance about how much to give to the church on an annual basis. We have compiled several different ideas that we hope will be helpful to you as you discern your gifts to the church.
The guidance of the United Church of Christ is to share 5% of your gifts (your gross income) with the church and 5% with other charities of your choice. Some of our members tithe to the Church which means they give 10% of their gross income. The tithe is part of our biblical heritage and is a central part of faith for some people. We even have members who have borrowed money to be able to meet their tithe!
If you are not accustomed to pledging, 5% or even 10% might seem like a lot to start with. Some people start at 2% or 3% and then plan to add 1% of their gross income each year. Do you know what percent of your income you give to the Church and other non-profits?
Many of us financially support a number of worthy organizations. Giving to the church, however, is unique in a number of ways. Contributions to the church are also something else – an offering. We do not give to the church simply to support a cause. We do so as an act of faith, as a form of worship. Our money is an important expression of our gratitude to God because it is an offering of our lives.
Money given to the church goes further than money given to many other charities. The reason, of course, is you. The dollars you give support the ministries that are carried out by church members in countless ways. When we give, we invest in each other’s ministries and growth in faith. Our church depends on the financial gifts of members and friends. About 80% of our annual budget comes from the annual pledges of church members. This means that every offering, every dollar, makes a difference to our life together and the ministry we are able to do.