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Canvass Home Page | How to Donate | Preauthorized Deposits |
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How Much Should I Give?
One of the questions that we don't talk about very often is how much does each person need to give to support the church. Last year (2023) we received $159,201 in identified donations and we had 159 members. The means that the average annual donation works out to $1,000 per member last year. Let's look at a couple of things. The good news is that we have some very generous members. We have 43 pledges over $1,000 a year including a handful of our members who contribute over $5,000/year. While we appreciate all donations of any size, I want to acknowledge the generosity of the donors that pay considerably more than the average. We appreciate your dedication to funding this church. Unfortunately, we also have 30% of our members who do not give an identified donation. If you are not giving $1000/year then someone else is paying for your membership. If you genuinely can't afford to contribute, we understand, but if you can afford it we would appreciate your support. So how much should you give to your church? Ideally, a member would give their fair share, which would be $1000/year. That is $83.33/month, or $20/week (52 weeks). What does this look like? Well, if you set up preauthorized donations then for most people the monthly amount will not affect your finances significantly. If $83/month seems a bit steep then a good starting point is to look at 1% of your income. If your income is $60,000/year then a $600 donation would be 1% of your income, which would be $50/month. I realize that not everyone can donate a lot, but 1% is a good starting point. We appreciate all of our donors but those of us with the means to contribute need to provide enough support to keep our church going. If you are a member of this church then you have an obligation to provide financial support. One of our covenant guidelines is that we will "Share the ministry of the congregation through our gifts of time, talent and money." Being a member means stepping up as a volunteer and as a financial supporter of this church. The main message I have is that if you are not donating then start. If you are already donating then consider raising your pledge to above the average amount. And please consider ongoing donations as they are the lifeblood that keeps the church going year after year.
If you would like to discuss your pledge amount please give me a call. I would be happy to sit down with you and discuss this important topic.
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Written in March 2024
