Showers of Blessings: Our 2010 Stewardship Campaign
Church of St. Benedict
909 Lily Cache Lane
Bolingbrook, Illinois 60440
(630) 759-5955
Showers of Blessings
Frequently Asked Questions about Stewardship
Blessings for your church – and for you!
Your gifts are important to the life of this church, and, as many of you have said, they are also important to you.
Many people feel their life of faith is deepened in committing to an intentional pattern of financial giving to the church—or, an annual pledge. They say that their commitment to giving is a kind of spiritual discipline (like prayer and worship) that helps them feel closer to God, and more closely linked to this community, its work and ministries.
What is a pledge?
A pledge is a commitment to give a certain amount of money over the course of a year to help St. Benedict’s maintain and grow its ministry and mission.
St. Benedict’s vision statement says that this is a place that can be “your home away from home.” This is a church that says: You are welcome here. Your annual pledge helps us extend that welcome to all! And your pledge tells us, “I am part of this community, and I want to show that this church and its goals are important to me.”
Where Does St. Benedict’s Money Come From? And Where Does It Go?
For every dollar St. Benedict is projected to spend in 2010 we will need to raise 85 cents from our members and friends in annual pledges and other gifts. 6 cents of every dollar is raised through the sharing of our space: both New Covenant Pentecostal Church and the various 12-Step groups that share our building make donations each month towards its upkeep. 5 cents of each dollar comes from the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, and the last 4 cents comes from our annual fundraisers, the largest of which is Paintball Parking.
Here’s how the church spends that dollar: 50 cents goes to programming (worship, Godly Play, adult formation) and to the salaries and benefits of the people who work at St. Benedict—the vicar, who leads worship and our ministries of pastoral care, teaching, preaching, and service; the music director, who leads worship, music, and our choir; and our secretary, who supports people, activities, and communications throughout the church. 30 cents of every dollar goes toward paying our mortgage. 15 cents goes towards maintaining our office resources and our building facilities. 5 cents of every dollar flows outward from St. Benedict to support other ministries and charities, both locally and across the world.
The 2010 budget of The Church of St. Benedict requires about 240,000 of those sample dollars. We are asking for an increase in diocesan support this year, but to keep our programs and ministries running smoothly, and to continue to grow in numbers and in spiritual maturity, we need the help, participation, and gifts of our members and friends.
How much should I pledge?
This is a matter that is between you, your household, and the Holy Spirit. To help you get a sense of the variety of gifts people give, we offer this information: St. Benedict has members and friends who pledge more than $10,000 per year, some who pledge less than $100 per year, and everything in between. The average pledge for 2009 was about $2,400, with over a third of pledges at $1,000 or less per year.
What if my circumstances change after I make a pledge?
You may shift your pledge up or down, as your personal circumstances change, at any time during the year. Contact Rev. Heidi or Reneé Wegman, our treasurer, and they will change your record to reflect the new pledge amount.
St. Benedict’s Promise to You
We respect your commitment to the faithful stewardship of the blessings and gifts that God has given to you. When you give to St. Benedict, we want to act on that respect by expressing our thanks to you and by keeping accurate and confidential records of your contributions. You will receive a statement three or four times a year to make sure the church’s records are correct and to provide you with a record of your gifts.
Your gift makes this church community and its ministries possible!
Your stewardship team: Rev. Heidi Haverkamp, Leticia Wallace, Vince Macikas, Adam Frieberg
