Some Frequently Asked Questions about Giving and Pledging
Q: What is stewardship?
A: Stewardship is the on-going cycle of grace, gratitude and generosity. It begins with God's abundant and faithful Grace towards us, and out of gratitude we respond with our generosity. It is our resounding YES! to God's blessings, sharing our time, our talent and our treasure. In giving, we become co-creators with God of God's Kingdom here and now.
Q: What’s a pledge?
A: Our pledge is our intentional and regular giving to support God's work in the world through St. Boniface. We communicate our pledge using a pledge form submitted to the church office. In pledging, we put God at the heart of our giving and spending.
Q: How much should I pledge?
A: A good starting point is "first fruits giving," giving our first and best gifts toward God's work. As we grow in giving, we may consider proportional giving -- giving a proportion of our annual earning and increasing that proportion each year. Of course, tithing or giving 10% of our annual earning is the biblical standard which is mentioned in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Giving 10% may sound daunting! But beginning with first fruits, then growing in proportional giving, it is doable!
Q: Can I change my pledge?
Q: Why does my pledge matter? What does it support?
A: Our pledges support our Sunday and weekday worship, our Christian education for all ages, newcomer welcome and church growth, pastoral care, fellowship and outreach - all the ways we deepen our faith and serve God's creation. See a full list of our ministries here. We, as stewards, also benefit from pledging, by introducing a spiritual element into our giving, seeing God as the source of all our blessings and ourselves as co-creators of God's Kingdom.
Q: Don’t we receive financial support from the diocese and the national church?
A: No. In fact, we tithe to our diocese, and give to support the work of the national church.
Q: What if I'm here only part of the year?
A: Many parishioners support two - or more! - churches. We invite you to pledge for the part of the year that you are with us at St. Boniface.
Q: What are the ways that can I pay my pledge?
A: Pledges can be paid with check or cash. They can also be made with a credit card or automatic bank transfer. Other ways of giving include the following, which may help you achieve your giving goals without affecting your cash flow. We suggest you contact your financial professional to see if one of them works for you.
+ I.R.A. Distribution - For those over 72 1/2 and who qualify, giving with an IRA distribution my also create a tax savings for you.
+ Donor Advised Fund - If you have a charitable fund, you may be able to recommend a donor advised fund grant to St. Boniface. (Please let your advisor know that pledges to St. Boniface are not obligations or legally binding.)
