ESTIMATE OF GIVING FORM

Financial stewardship is an important component of a balanced spiritual life. Returning to God, from those things which God has given us, is a tangible way to express our faith. When each of us gives as we are able, together we fund ministry within our church, to the community, and throughout the world.

We support our church through pledges.  A pledge is an estimate of giving; some call it a statement of intent. Your pledge amount may be changed, increased or decreased during the year, at any time as your financial circumstances change. 

Pledging allows you to make intentional decisions about your financial giving. When you plan ahead for your giving, you make conscious choices about spending your money in ways that reflect your faith and values. Receiving your pledge allows our Church Council, the church’s governing board, to do for our church what you do for your household: plan wisely for the use our resources in support of the mission and ministry to which God has called us. The Council sets a budget based on the total amount pledged to the church. While plate offerings are important to the church, your pledge lets the Council plan more accurately for the ministry we can accomplish.

While our annual giving campaign is held in the fall, pledges may be made at any time by contacting our Financial Manager.  You may pay weekly, monthly, quarterly, or even yearly via checks, cash or online giving by clicking here.  Many companies have matching funds for charitable donations.  If your company has such a plan, please let us know.

Determining the amount of your annual pledge is between you and God. However, as you make this important decision, reflecting on your vision of stewardship may be beneficial. Consider stewardship in terms of:

• I give because I am supposed to give — a sense of duty
  
• I give to pay my own way — a sense of fairness
  
• I give to return a portion of my blessings — a sense of gratitude
  
• I give to keep church ministries available to all — a sense of generosity
  

A tithe is 10% of your income. It is a form of proportional giving. The church recognizes that many persons choose to divide their tithe among the church and other worthy organizations. A tithe may sound like an unattainable goal to begin with, but if you start with a certain proportion of your income and increase the percentage each year, you will be tithing in a short time. You could start with 5%, a half tithe. Another option is 2½%, which is equivalent to pledging the first hour’s pay of a 40-hour work week. We ask that you prayerfully consider what level of giving is right for you and your family.

Your pledge matters!  Where you start or whether you tithe on your gross or net income is not nearly as important as simply making your first pledge. Every pledge makes a difference, regardless of the amount.  To complete the pledge form, click the button below.

For more information, contact Neathea Calloway, Finance Manager, at (757) 229-1771 Ext 350

or ncalloway@williamsburgumc.org.