Stewardship 101: Memorial UMC
“INVESTING IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD!”
Why is it important to make a pledge, can’t I just give week to week? Of course people can give weekly and we are grateful for the many people that do. The benefit of a pledge, though, is twofold. From the church end, it allows us to set a budget based on giving commitments. It allows us to project anticipated income, so that we can plan ahead how best to use funds for the upcoming year. We want to be good financial stewards with the gifts given to the Church. But that is secondary. The most important reason is that it holds us as individuals accountable to the spiritual discipline of giving. Even if we can only pledge a little, it makes sure that we give regularly, making it a priority. So we encourage you to strongly consider making a pledge to MUMC this year, especially if you never have before or if it has been a long time since making a pledge.
What if I make a pledge and my financial situation changes? It is understood that situations change, often unexpectedly. A pledge can certainly be amended at any point during the year. This will sometimes happen if someone loses a job. There are also sometimes cases where a person receives additional income (raise, inheritance, etc.) and comes in to increase their pledge or make an additional donation. The point is pledges can be amended throughout the year.
Are a pledge and a tithe the same thing? Simply put, no. A pledge is a commitment to give a certain amount to the church weekly, monthly, or annually. A tithe is when that commitment is 10% of your income. The tradition of the Church has long been that the goal of each Christian Disciple is to pledge a tithe. We are grateful for any pledge received, but we also encourage our members to begin working towards that goal of a tithe.
Is Mission Giving the Same as a Pledge? There is a difference in these two. The pledge that we give goes towards the operating budget of the church. I know that often doesn’t sound very exciting, but the truth is the church has to have funds to operate and administrate all of the ministries, programs, and worship experiences that happen through MUMC. The mission giving (such as giving to the monthly mission emphasis) should be over and above giving; gifts given in addition to our pledge to the operating budget, not in lieu of it.
What if I can only pledge a small amount? That is o.k. While our goal is to pledge a tithe (10%), we understand that it sometimes takes a little time to work towards that. Pledge what you know you can give faithfully and regularly. It is one step on the ladder of spiritual growth.
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