Pledging to St. Stephen’s

"All of us, at some time or other, need help. Whether we're giving or receiving help, each one of us has something valuable to bring to this world. That's one of the things that connects us as neighbors—in our own way, each one of us is a giver and a receiver." Mr. Rogers

Opening Our Doors. It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

This year’s Stewardship theme, Opening Our Doors, is a reminder…

The most important words to say in Church are “thank you.” Say it often, and mean it, and today we say it to you. Thank you for the many gifts that you share with our community. We can’t express our gratitude enough.

A Prayer for Stewardship

Gracious and loving God, giver of all that is good and true and beautiful and life-giving. We come before you this day with the offering of our whole selves, of all that we are, and all that we have.  These pledges are a symbol of our very lives and the commitment to invest a portion of who we are in your on-going work in the world. They represent our toil, our lives, our dreams. The pledges which we make on them are but tokens of the amazing gifts that have been given to us and they are pledged in thanksgiving for all we have received, for all we have been inspired to be, for all we are challenged to become, in this place. 

May they be the first fruits of all we have and not what we have left over, so that we may live out as closely as possible how you give to us. May we see them as our offering to you, sacred, holy, yet earthy, filled with possibilities. May we hold this image in our hearts and minds so as we watch our offerings each week come to your table, we can see our very selves being part of this offering.   Amen.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • Stewardship is about being grateful, responsible stewards of the gifts we receive from God. The tradition of giving back to God and to the church comes from the Biblical practice of “tithing,” which means to give back a tenth of our earnings to God (Numbers 18:26). However, the Episcopal Church sees stewardship as more than simply contributing money to the church; it’s also about contributing time and talents, and volunteering for ministry and mission. It’s about reaching out to build relationships from a perspective of abundance instead of scarcity.

  • A pledge is a commitment you make to God and the church to set aside a percentage of the first fruits of your labor for God’s purposes. A pledge is made out of thanksgiving for the abundance God has bestowed on us and reflects our desire to support the mission and ministry of God’s church, which includes its day-to-day operations. At St. Stephen’s, parishioner donations (along with a small amount of facility use income) is the sole source of funding. In addition to being a spiritual practice, pledging enables the Vestry to prepare a fiscally responsible budget for the coming year.

  • Anyone who wishes to support the mission and ministry of St. Stephen’s is invited to complete a pledge form at any time during the year. You do not need to be an “official” member to pledge. Typically pledges are submitted by household, but individual pledges from adults or children are welcome as well.

  • To make a pledge, please complete an online pledge form here or complete a paper pledge card (you can get one from the Parish Office or email info@ststephenslongmont.org) and return it to the church office. Or you can mail it to:

    St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church

    Attn: Treasurer

    1303 S. Bross Lane, Longmont, CO 80501

    Please plan to submit your pledge by Oct 20, 2024.

  • How much you pledge is between you and God, and is kept in strict confidence by the church Rector, Treasurer, and Bookkeeper. The spiritual practice of tithing calls for giving back ten percent of one’s income, but we hold that up as a goal to work towards, not as a requirement for giving. We recognize that household budgets are often stretched thin, and we are grateful for offerings in any amount. That being said, we encourage you to try to increase your giving by some amount each year. You can use the chart below to determine your current level of giving and to help you set a goal for future giving. Perhaps you can stretch 1% this year, or try to do so incrementally over the next year or two?

  • All money given to St. Stephen’s is put towards furthering our mission and vision. This includes:

    Creating a “Front Porch” that is planted with water-wise plants for all to come, enjoy, and feel safe and loved.

    Giving regularly to our local community outreach partners who feed, clothe, and house God’s beloved

    Creating more beauty in our world through our music program and our Children’s Choir, Bell Choir, and Adult Choir.

    Supporting our Little Free Pantry to feed our neighbors across the city

    Caring for the sacred space we gather, recharge and serve through it’s upkeep and maintenance for our community and church

    Providing training for clergy, staff, lay leaders, and ministers to enhance their work among us

    Giving a portion to the Episcopal Church in Colorado to support the greater mission and ministry of our diocese and national church

    Celebrating and lifting up our ministries of relationship, nurturing, formation in providing what they need for those who participate