2012 Stewardship Campaign: St. Andrew's at the Crossroads

St. Andrew's launched its 2012 Stewardship Campaign on Sunday, October 9, and all pledge cards that are returned by the 10:30 a.m. service on November 20 will be blessed as part of St. Andrew's Day. The Stewardship Campaign will continue through the fall and winter with the goal of ensuring sufficient finances for our many ministries.

Below is an important message about the purpose and spirit of stewardship at St. Andrew's, and a FAQ with answers to many questions about making a pledge. Above all, please keep in mind that making a pledge of any size allows St. Andrew's to build its budget for 2012. Please consider making a pledge if in the past you have not!

Message from the Stewardship Committee • November 2011

Thus says the LORD: "Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls." — Jeremiah 6:16

Dear Friends in the Community of St. Andrew’s:

St. Andrew’s is at a crossroads. Over the coming year, the Vestry, Planning Commission, and members of St. Andrew’s will make prayerful decisions about the resources and ministries of our parish...
[Click here to read the full message.]

How to Participate in the 2012 Stewardship Campaign

Here are three ways to make a pledge to St. Andrew's for 2012:

1. Return the pledge card provided at the church (for example, by placing it in the Sunday collection)
   
   
2. Download, complete and return the PDF version of the pledge card available on this website by clicking here
   
   
3. Use the online pledge form to submit a pledge by email.

However you choose to do it, St. Andrew's thanks you in advance for your pledge during the Stewardship Campaign!

Some Frequently Asked Questions (and Answers) about Stewardship

What is stewardship?
The national Episcopal Church definition of stewardship is:

Christian stewardship is grateful and responsible use of God’s gifts in the light of God’s purpose as revealed in Jesus Christ. Christian stewards, empowered by the Holy Spirit, commit themselves to conscious, purposeful decisions.

Without this stewardship commitment by our members, we at St. Andrew’s could not fulfill our mission. You may recall that several years ago all members were invited to help define our mission. Many of you participated in the process.

What exactly is our mission?
The Mission of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church of College Park is to be a welcoming and supportive community of faith

• Which offers itself to the Lord Jesus Christ in corporate worship;
• Which has a special care for all of God’s children in its neighborhood;
• And which stimulates its members to be open to God’s call to risk, to grow and to use their gifts in service to others.

To accomplish this mission, we have a number of ministries or committees—such as congregational care, mission beyond parish, worship, music, Christian formation, small groups, stewardship, finance, and buildings and grounds. All members are invited to join one or more of these groups. (For more information, call the church office, talk with clergy or any Vestry member, or read the related pages on this website.)

Can’t I practice stewardship without pledging—by just putting money in the plate?
Of course St. Andrew’s will benefit from any money received whether by pledge or plate offering. But, by making a pledge, not only are you making a stewardship commitment, but you are also helping the church as a whole to practice good stewardship. Pledges give us an idea of how much money St. Andrew’s will have to carry out its mission. This is critical information for our church leaders. It enables them to make conscious, purposeful decisions about funding for church activities, from ministry to maintenance.

I hear talk about tithing and wonder: Do you all seriously expect me to tithe—or give 10 percent of my earnings to the church?
Tithing is the scripture-based admonition to give 10 percent of our time, treasure and talents in support of the church. And, when it comes to pledges, it would be great if everyone pledged and gave 10 percent of his income to St. Andrew’s! We could take a lot of pressure off the Vestry and Finance Committee if that were the case! In reality though, a very small percent of our parishioners actually give 10 percent. Many have, however, made a commitment to work toward tithing by starting with a percentage they felt manageable and increasing it over time.

Isn’t it reasonable for me to consider gifts to charitable organizations or causes part of my tithing?
Yes, it is reasonable and understandable. But keep in mind that the church—this body of Christ—cannot accomplish its mission, or even survive, without support from its members in terms of time, talent and treasure. We would hope that you believe strongly enough in the mission of St. Andrew’s to support it financially.

I can’t give a lot, so is my pledge really important?
Yes. Your pledge is important to St. Andrew’s. Regardless of the amount, your pledge—when combined with others—can help our church to fulfill its mission. Pledges of $1,200 ($100 per month) or less make up a significant portion of our revenue. In addition, any pledge is a tangible commitment to the church and to Christ’s work in the world and is, we believe, of extraordinary benefit to one’s own spiritual journey. Even if you feel that you can’t give a lot, we encourage you to take time to pray about it before determining an amount. In the end, it should be an amount that feels good and right to you.

What happens if I don’t meet my pledge?
There are no “penalties,” financial or otherwise, for not meeting one’s pledge. Of course, since our operating budget is based in large part on pledges, not meeting them creates a shortfall in revenue that could cause changes to our spending plan. With that in mind, we all should be realistic when setting our pledges; that is, we have a reasonable expectation we can give the amount we pledge. In the event that you’re unable to meet your pledge due to a personal or professional hardship, we would encourage you to contact our clergy, not only to inform us of the pledge loss but also to receive pastoral care and support.

What guides the development of the budget?
St. Andrew’s has a host of staff and volunteers working in committees or ministries to help accomplish our mission as described above. Each fall these groups project their needs for the following year and submit their requests to the Vestry. A spending budget is then drafted by the Finance Committee. Once all pledges and other incomes are projected, the Vestry must make the final decision about how to balance requested expenditures against the amount of expected revenue. Historically we have had to cut expenses to fall in line with revenue. Some expenses are fixed and others are variable. To the extent possible the Vestry tries to ensure that all categories are funded sufficiently to continue the ministries and support program needs as expressed by the various committees. Needless to say, these are difficult decisions; and our leaders—as stewards for our church—must rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance and power.

How do I know my money will be used the way I want it to be?
It’s important to remember that our budget is developed with St. Andrew’s mission statement in mind and with input from many members. The Vestry decides how to fund the expense categories, with advice from the Finance Committee. While every member has a voice, it is necessary that we work within the framework of the church with regard to spending decisions. Specific concerns should be addressed by discussing them with a Vestry member or clergy. In the end, though, St. Andrew’s leadership may make some decisions about which you disagree. We are brothers and sisters in Christ, and just like in our own family lives, we will have differences and sometimes have to work hard to find our way through them.

How do we decide how much to pay our rector and staff?
Diocesan guidelines are published annually with recommended salary ranges based on the amount of the church’s operating budget, as well as background and experience. St. Andrew’s has a committee that meets each fall to review the diocesan guidelines and, in adherence to them, make a recommendation to the Vestry for the next year’s salary and benefit amounts for all staff members.

From what sources besides pledges do we get money?
In addition to pledges, we receive money from: Plate Offering. Use of Church (rentals to outside groups), College Park Nursery School, Rectory Rental, Thrift Corner, Parking (Weekday use of big lot by City of College Park), Interest/Dividends, and Miscellaneous.