We are in the clean-up phase of our annual pledge drive.
If you are new to People’s Church you might have What and Why Questions: Because we don’t charge dues, but rely on voluntary gifts, we need a way to predict what cash we will have on hand next year. While it is true that we have many hard-working volunteers providing invaluable services and talent, some needs can only be provided with cash. Our hard-working staff need a salary, utilities must be to be paid in cash, supplies need to be purchased.
This cash must come from us. We don’t have an oil well on this property, and the federal government has ended the program that gave us money to help maintain our staff employees. Only a small amount of money comes from rentals and investments. Filling out pledge forms is our process to help your elected board of trustees estimate what programs and staff we can support and helps them develop a budget that you will approve May 15 at our Annual Congregational Meeting. That is why we need your best estimate concerning what you will give over the next Church Year beginning July 1. Why July 1? Many church programs follow the school calendar.
Your board has requested pledges be returned by April 10. Even though this date has passed, it’s not too late to submit your pledge! Our goal is to have every member and friend return a pledge, no matter how large or small. It shows your commitment to the church. Your board has requested a 3% increase in your pledge this year because of inflation. If positive circumstances allow, a greater increase is appreciated, because there are always some folks who circumstances change negatively and are unable to give as much as the previous year. Average pledge last year was $2,000, but there is a wide range of giving, because there is a wide range of financial circumstances.
How Can I Pledge, you ask? There are lots of easy methods.
1. Last Sunday, TEXT Messages were sent to those members and friends who have given us phone numbers able to receive text messages. These messages provided a link that takes your smart phone or computer to a pledge form prefilled with your current demographics. In the pledge per month section, your current pledge is already entered, increased by the suggested 3% to account for inflation. You can make corrections or adjustments to the form.
2. On Friday we sent email messages to folks without phone numbers on file that receive TEXT MESSAGES. These have a link that takes you to a blank pledge form.
3. Monday, we will send paper pledge forms by US Post to everyone else.
4. In the lobby, we have paper pledge forms that you can fill out and return at once.
5. Finally, on our website, peopleschurch.net, there is a prominent Pledge Button. Our Matt Johnson has posted there an easy-to-follow short video demonstrating how to make a pledge online.
So where do we stand? As of Friday morning we have received 115 pledges for nearly $234,000. We still have a ways to go reach our goal of 130 pledges. Please don’t delay.
