Practically speaking, a “pledge” is an estimate of your giving for the coming year, which in turn, fund everything we do as a faith community – from paying the salaries of our clergy and staff, to supporting our outreach ministries, our pastoral care, our worship, our education programs, our music and our facilities. Pledges allows to dream big and to make bold plans as we made decisions about our priorities and possibilities in the year to come.
Spiritually speaking, your pledge is your response to God’s abundance in our lives. It is both a statement of thanksgiving and an outward and visible sign of our commitment to follow in the way of Jesus, by giving as God gives to us. A pledge can thus help you to grow in your faith and trust in God. By giving in a regular, committed way, a pledge can turn your giving into a spiritual practice just like prayer or worship which in turn helps to keep God as a priority in our life. When we give in a committed way, it helps to keep us focused on God. Where are money goes, our heart will be found also.
Weekly, non-pledge offerings amount to 3% of our annual revenue. The single most important source of funding for our ministries comes from the pledges made during our annual stewardship campaign, which provide 76% of the church’s income. The remaining 21% comes from other contributions made throughout the year. Pledges are the backbone of our ministry. Every pledge matters, every pledge counts!
We ask everyone who considers St Paul's their spiritual home to make a pledge of some kind. If you have never pledged before, then it might be helpful to think of pledging as another step in your relationship with God and God’s mission and taking your place in the Body of Christ. Give whatever amount helps you feel closer to God and more connected to our faith community. You will find that committed giving will help your faith grow and your trust in God deepen. Try it and see if Jesus was right when he said, “Where your treasure is, your heart will be also.”
At St Paul's, every pledge matters, regardless of the amount. The average pledge is about $2,900 a year or about $55 a week. But we are all in a different place — remember the “Widow’s Might.” It’s not about the amount so much, but whether the amount of faithfulness in which it is given. Start with prayer and reflect on the blessings of your life. Consider an amount that is both responsible and significant based on our individual financial situation.
It might be helpful to consider this question: Does our giving reflect our standard of living? One way to ensure that is always true is to give a percentage of your income. A tithe (10% of your income) has long been held as the standard of Christian giving. If 10% feels out of reach at the moment, start with a lower amount and incrementally increase each year. To calculate your pledge or tithe, the following chart may help:
| Annual Gross Income | 2% | 4% | 6% | 8% | 10% | 12% |
| $10,000 | $200 | $400 | $600 | $800 | $1,000 | $1,200 |
| $20,000 | $400 | $800 | $1,200 | $1,600 | $2,000 | $2,400 |
| $30,000 | $600 | $1,200 | $1,800 | $2,400 | $3,000 | $3,600 |
| $40,000 | $800 | $1,600 | $2,400 | $3,200 | $4,000 | $4,800 |
| $50,000 | $1,000 | $2,000 | $3,000 | $4,000 | $5,000 | $6,000 |
| $75,000 | $1,500 | $3,000 | $4,500 | $6,000 | $7,500 | $9,000 |
| $100,000 | $2,000 | $4,000 | $6,000 | $8,000 | $10,000 | $12,000 |
| $150,000 | $3,000 | $6,000 | $9,000 | $12,000 | $15,000 | $18,000 |
| $200,000 | $4,000 | $8,000 | $12,000 | $16,000 | $20,000 | $24,000 |
You can make your pledge one of three different ways:
You can pay your pledge in one lump sum or you can pay it in instalments – whatever works for you.
If your circumstances change, for whatever reason, just let us know and we can adjust it anytime. No need for explanations, simply call the office at (765) 962-7438 or contact our Director of Finance, Doug Weatherly at stpaulsrichmondin@gmail.com . (And of course, if you receive unexpected additional income, you are always welcome to increase your pledge.)
Thank you for all you do to support God’s mission and ministry through St Paul's