Giving Frequently Asked Questions

From a spiritual perspective, we believe that God calls all of us to give joyfully and generously in response to all that God has done for us. We give money not “to First Congregational UCC,” but “through First Congregational UCC,” to God!

From a practical perspective, your contributions support the many ministries of our church that nurture this congregation and care for the community around us. Giving to First Congo helps our programs to flourish, from Intergenerational Visiting to Thursday’s Table, weekly worship to fellowship events.

That is fine! We would never ask you to put yourself in great financial hardship for the church! We invite you to pledge their “time, talent, and treasure,” as you are able.

Giving of your time would mean volunteering for ministries you’re interested in, like ushering, Thursdays Table, or serving on a committee. Giving of your talent means offering special skills you might have, such as playing a musical instrument in worship or teaching a class on an area of expertise. Giving treasure means supporting the church financially. Some people are able to pledge in all three areas. Some people have lots of time, but are not able to make a financial pledge, and so they give primarily in time and talent. Some people have very busy work schedules, and give primarily in treasure. Many people give in all three.

The important thing is that you reflect on how God is calling you to support the church, and answer that call!

You are certainly welcome to put money in the offering plate. However, making pledges in advance is helpful from both a spiritual perspective and a practical perspective.

Spiritually, making a pledge can be a time to reflect seriously on your relationship with God and with money. It can be a time to think about how God is calling you to use your resources in the future, and to make a commitment to follow that call. In biblical times, the Israelites were called to give their “first fruits” to God – to make offerings out of the beginnings of the harvest, rather than waiting to see how the harvest went and give from what was “extra.” For twenty-first century people of faith, pledging can be a way to make joyful and generous giving a top financial priority.

Practically, your pledges allow the leadership of the church to make wise budgeting decisions. If we know what kind of financial commitments our members are able to make, we can plan our ministries for the year to use those gifts as wisely as possible!

Yes, if your circumstances change in any way, you are always welcome to call or email the church office and increase or decrease your pledge.

Only if you tell them. Pledges are submitted to the church office, and are known only to the deacon and office manager.

That personal decision is completely up to you, and pledges to First Congregational UCC range from $50 per year to over $8,000 per year.

The idea of “tithing” means giving 10% of your income, and is drawn from Hebrew scriptures. Although some members may tithe, many find this to be a significant challenge. You might consider starting with five percent, two percent, or one percent of your income, and seeing whether you feel called to move toward tithing in the future.

Some members practice what is called a “modern tithe”: they give 5% of their income to the church, and 5% to support other causes that are important to them.

Yes, donations to First Congregational UCC are tax-deductible. First Congregational UCC is on a May 1- April 30 fiscal year, but we do track your donations over the calendar year and provide tax documentation for your calendar year giving for use in your tax preparation.