Author Archives: Sarah Marino

• How much do other members of First Congregational give?

  Posted on October 23, 2020 by Sarah Marino in Giving

  Giving varies greatly from $100 per year to in excess of $40,000 per year.  In 2020, members pledged an average of $4,770 per year, and the median pledge was $2,510.

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• How much should I give with an annual pledge?

  Posted on October 23, 2020 by Sarah Marino in Giving

  We ask each member of our faith community to consider making a pledge that is both faithful to our goal of supporting all our church’s ministries and missions, and meaningful based on their financial situation.  At First Congregational, giving is intended to be “in keeping with your income” (1 Corinthians 16:2).

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• What happens if I can’t pay my pledge?

  Posted on October 23, 2020 by Sarah Marino in Giving

  You may change the amount of your pledge at any time. All we ask is that you let us know so we may update our records. Please contact the Chair of the Financial Resources Ministry or the church’s treasurer if, for any reason, you need to change your pledge.

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• How can I pay my pledge?

  Posted on October 23, 2020 by Sarah Marino in Giving

  You may pay your pledge weekly, monthly, or in lump sums in any number of ways —  by Venmo, through automatic debits or even through the good “old-fashioned” mail!  If you do not use an automated payment, the Church can provide you offering envelopes for your convenience, printed with donor record numbers to insure proper […]

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• How do I make a pledge?

  Posted on October 23, 2020 by Sarah Marino in Giving

  You will receive a pledge card in the mail at the beginning of the pledge campaign in October.  We ask that you let us know your pledge on or before Pledge Sunday, November 13, 2022.  You can communicate your pledge in a variety of ways – by sending us a confidential email at on or […]

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• Doesn’t the church have an endowment?

  Posted on October 23, 2020 by Sarah Marino in Giving

  Yes it does. The endowment currently contributes less than one-quarter of the church’s operating budget.  Reliance on pledging is a positive aspect of healthy church life, as it ensures that we are all regularly committed to the vitality of our church and maintenance of its resources.

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• Can’t I practice stewardship without pledging—by just putting money in the plate during the Sunday offering?

  Posted on October 23, 2020 by Sarah Marino in Giving

  Sure, but annual pledging is so helpful to us for maintaining operations, and pledges in the fall clarify how much money will be available to carry out the church’s mission for the year, and thereby helps us plan our budget. This is critical information for making careful, purposeful decisions about church activities, ministry and maintenance. […]

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• Where does the money go?

  Posted on October 23, 2020 by Sarah Marino in Latest News

  We invite you to review First Congregational’s video appeal (first of its kind for 2020!), along with the information and data included with our stewardship campaign materials, which you can find at [web site/link].  Together, they depict how pledging dollars are spent to support our Church’s mission (as well as some fun pictures!).

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• Does my pledge really make a difference?

  Posted on October 23, 2020 by Sarah Marino in Giving

  Absolutely. It often comes as a surprise when people learn that First Congregational relies almost entirely on the annual pledging that members of our faith community provide.  About two-thirds of the income needed to operate and maintain our church comes from pledges.  No financial resources come to the church from our larger denomination, the UCC.  […]

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