So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.
(Romans 12:1-2, from The Message)
Beloved Friends –
Welcome to the 2022 Annual Pledge Drive – a time of intentional reflection and response to what it means to be a community of faith supporting the ministry we share. Each year we boldly talk about money as one of the many tools we have to help radically transform who we are as disciples. Regardless of the level of giving, we believe making this promise for the year ahead is a sign of hope. Each year we focus on this invitation encouraging all of us to make a pledge because it both changes who we are as individuals growing in generosity and as a community able to be an expression of God’s love in the world.
This year’s theme “Imagine…More Than Enough” was chosen to remind us we are infinitely blessed with resources and opportunities to grow in faith, courage, hope and love. This theme will mean many different things to each of us but we hope what remains in common is a sense of abundance. Each day we are called to move out of the center of our own worlds in order to see and respond to others with compassion and generosity.
Thank you in advance for your generosity as we begin another season of asking us all to “give and give generously so that we may do the work of the church in our community and in the world.”
This pamphlet seeks to answer some of your questions for our 2022 Pledge Drive as well as includes the pledge card itself to be used once you have discerned your leveling of giving for the year to come. We invite you to receive this with grace and prayer as you consider how you will share with God and God’s Church from what you have received.
May you never forget that you are loved,
Lisa
The Rev. Dr. Lisa Tucker-Gray, Rector, Trinity
Why should I make an annual pledge? Can’t I just put money in the collection plate when I’m in church or give online?
This question actually has 2 separate but related answers:
- Part of our spiritual path calls us to embrace a dual posture of generosity and abundance in our lives, recognizing the gifts we have in our lives and offering a portion of those gifts back to do the work we are called to do in the world.
- Trinity remains faithful managing its resources wisely establishing an annual budget for the year ahead. Using a combination of the annual pledge commitments and additional income from legacy gifts allows the vestry to approve a budget providing a faithful roadmap to align our ministry in the year ahead.
Who decides what to do with the money pledged?
Approving the annual operating budget is the responsibility of our vestry; the 9-member elected leadership team made up of parish members. One vestry responsibility calls them to act as agents and legal representatives of the parish in all matters concerning its corporate property including finances. Over the past five years, Trinity has developed a budget process begining in July each year and involving staff and lay leaders throughout culminating with the ratification of the budget by the vestry in December.
How many people/families make an annual pledge to Trinity?
Over 80 households made pledges to support last year’s Operating Budget.
The total amount pledged for 2022 was $170,000.00 making up approximately 25% of our overall operating budget of $769,040.
How does Trinity make up the gap between the pledge amount and the resources needed to fund the Operating Budget?
Trinity is richly blessed with outside resources supporting our ministry through legacy gifts entrusted to us by those who have come before. Trinity has approved a 5% spending policy to use a portion of the income generated by these sources as needed to offset the need for additional financial support.
How much do people pledge?
This is the decision of each individual/family. The average pledge supporting the 2022 operating budget was $2,560 with annual pledges ranging from $50 to $24,000. Our goal this year is to increase overall participation asking everyone who calls Trinity their spiritual home to make a pledge supporting all the things God is calling us to do in the world.
What are some Impact Stories at Trinity?
As we turn our attention to this year’s Pledge Drive, “Imagine…more than enough” we find ourselves thinking of countless examples of all the wonderful things Trinity does for the community, our neighbors, our growing digital presence and in the world.
Here are some of the ways we each have been inspired as members of Trinity.
For me personally and professionally, Trinity inspires me to become more involved. This began several years ago with the act of making a financial contribution supporting the ministry, and eventually becoming a member. It’s so easy to watch church from the outside, as a passive observer. Releasing the hold that I kept on my finances, my energy, my time and my thoughts has brought me to a place of constant gratitude. Now, when I focus on gratitude everyday I imagine, there is, indeed, more than enough! Kim Buehler
The first time I walked into Trinity (almost 20 years ago), I was amazed; I had found home. Over the years, the spirit of love and hospitality here has grown in abundance. I don’t have to imagine; I KNOW I have been given more than enough. This year I will be giving with a grateful heart knowing I will receive more than enough in return. My hope this year, is that each of us truly imagine we have more than enough and will give with gratitude and courage. Jeffrey Albright
Making an annual pledge commitment has brought us closer to our Trinity community, which gives us both the most abundant love and appreciation we’ve ever known. Every dollar each of us commits helps Trinity plan for future programming, worship, staffing, education, pastoral support and faith in action.
We thank you in advance for your participation in this necessary effort and will be ready, willing and able to share more of our stories over the coming weeks.
Kim Buehler & Jeffrey Albright
Trinity 2022 Pledge Drive Co-Chairs
