Financial stewardship is an important component of a balanced spiritual life. Returning to God, from those things 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 throughout the world. A very specific way in which we support our church is through pledges.
A pledge is an estimate of giving; some call it a statement of intent. 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 CLUMC Leadership Council, the church’s governing board, to do for our church what you do for your household: plan wisely for the use of our resources in support of the mission and ministry to which God has called us. The Council sets a budget based on the total amount pledged to the church. And while plate offerings are important to the church, your pledge lets the Leadership Council plan more accurately for the future ministry we can accomplish together.
We hold our annual pledge drive every year in the fall. This enables us to plan well for the year ahead. You may pay weekly, monthly, quarterly, or even yearly via checks, cash or online giving. 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. Consider stewardship in terms of:
  • I give to return a portion of my blessings — a sense of gratitude
  • I give to pay my own way — a sense of fairness
  • I give so mission and ministry available to/for all — a sense of generosity
  • I give because God calls me to be generous — a sense of duty
Your pledge matters! Every pledge makes a difference, regardless of the amount.