"The
miracle is this ... the more we share, the more we have."
-- Leonard Nimoy
If we are to
use anything as the gift of God, we are to use everything as God's gift.
--
William Law
"Where
your treasure is, there will your heart be also." --Luke
12:34
"We make
a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
-- Winston
Churchill
2009 Stewardship Pledge Card
2009 Bridge the Budget Gap Card
Commonly
Asked Questions About Stewardship
People always have questions about Stewardship. We've created
this page to try to answer some of the most frequently asked
questions. Click on any one of the question to be taken to the
answer, or simply scroll down the page.
What is Stewardship?
Why Give Money or Time to A Church?
What is a Pledge?
Is giving to St. Clement's
by-the-Sea the same as giving to God?
What about gifts of time and
talent?
Why fill out a pledge card?
Doesn’t the diocese help
our congregation cover our expenses?
Should one make a pledge
as an individual or a couple?
What if one decides not to pledge
and instead puts cash into the Sunday collection?
Is it true that each
household or individual that pledges gets a quarterly bill?
Suppose my personal financial
picture varies from month to month, year to year?
What if I was not able to pay
your pledge in full in years past?
When Do I Pledge?
How much should
I pledge?
What is St.
Clement's by-the-Sea's Endowment Fund?
What is
Stewardship?
Stewardship is our response
to all the gifts that God has given us. Think about your time, talent and
treasure -- they are your greatest gifts, given to you by a God who loves you
unconditionally. As you consider these gifts, pray the
following prayers:
Heavenly Father, in you I live
and move and have my being: I
humbly pray you so to guide and govern me by your Holy Spirit, that in all the
cares and occupations of my life I may not forget you, but may remember that I
am ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Almighty and gracious God, I give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in
their season and for the labors of those who harvest them.
Make me, I pray, a faithful steward of your great bounty, for the
provision of my necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the
glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
O
merciful Creator, your hand is open wide to satisfy the needs of every living
creature: Make me always thankful
for your loving providence; and grant that I, remembering the account that I
must one day give, may be a faithful steward of all your good gifts; through
Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Why Give Money or Time to A
Church?
The Episcopal Network for Stewardship reminds us that
"stewardship is not a program, it is not about raising money, and it is not
here today and gone tomorrow. Stewardship is a journey. It is about life – a
way of life." Put simply, giving is our response to what we have received.
We are created in God’s image, as we read in the Book of Genesis, and God
gives. God gives us life and love, forgiveness and mercy. Stewardship is our
response to God’s gifts, in which we give of our time, talent, and treasure so
that the church can carry on its ministries of worship, formation, and service.
Stewardship is our giving back to God, in thanksgiving, a portion of the
blessings we have received.
What is a Pledge?
A pledge is your commitment of a
certain amount of money to help this community do the work that God has given
it to do.
Is giving to St. Clement's
by-the-Sea the same as giving to God?
Today, there are many worthy charities doing good
work. They deserve your financial support. Many of our members do not limit
their giving to their local congregation. However, for nearly 2000 years, this
is what we know to be true: making a decision to give back to God through the
ministry of the Church is an essential way for us to carry on Christ’s work of
reconciliation in the world.
What about gifts of time and
talent?
The ministry of St. Clement’s could not survive
without the countless hours of donated time and the generous sharing of talents
and gifts by so many of our members. The gifts of time and talent are invaluable
to our common life and are very much appreciated.
Why fill out a pledge card?
Each year the Vestry of St. Clement’s asks the parish
members to make a financial offering in the form of a pledge. Only when the
signed pledge cards are received and totaled can the church’s leadership
adequately plan for the upcoming year. The overwhelming majority of the
church’s total operating budget is funded by the pledges of our members.
Without a broad-based financial commitment through pledging, we would not be
able to offer the kind of pastoral care, spiritual formation, support of worthy
outreach ministries in the community around us, and the quality worship that we
have all come to appreciate.
Doesn’t the diocese help
our congregation cover our expenses?
No. In this country, the church is funded from the
bottom up, not the top down. It is the local congregations, through the pledges
of its members, who support the work of the Diocese. The Diocese, in turn, sends
money to the National Church in support of our larger national and international
mission.
Should one make a pledge
as an individual or a couple?
There is no hard and fast rule. Most married couples
sign one pledge card. Some people feel strongly about making their own
individual pledge. Each young person who has been confirmed by the bishop is
invited to make his or her own pledge, as well as those adults over the age of
18 living in the family home.
What if one decides not to pledge
and instead puts cash into the Sunday collection?
All monies given to the church are offered to the glory
of God. However, the total yearly amount received from collection plate
offerings accounts for a small fraction of the monies needed to fund all that
St. Clement's does in this community of faith and the community of San Clemente.
As Jesus said while being tempted in the wilderness, "One does not live by
bread alone." Nor can this congregation flourish through collection plate
offerings alone.
Is it true that each
household or individual that pledges gets a quarterly bill?
Not exactly. When a pledge is made, a number is assigned
to the giver. Pledge envelopes distributed the first of the year all have the
giver’s envelope number printed in the corner. Whenever you use your pledge
envelope by putting it into the collection plate or mailing it to the church
office, the Treasurer is able to give you credit for what you contributed. That
is why it is beneficial to use the pledge envelopes rather than putting loose
cash into the collection plates. Quarterly statements, not bills, are mailed out
to remind members of their progress in paying their pledge for the year. Since
the church has expenses throughout the calendar year, it is important that most
members stay current with their giving. For those that have requested envelopes
but have not pledged the statement reflects their giving for the time period
covered. The year-end statement mailed to each household or individual that has
envelopes is an essential document for those who claim their gift as a tax
deduction. It pays to request and to use the pledge envelopes!
Suppose my personal financial
picture varies from month to month, year to year?
One of the most frequent reasons people offer for not
making a pledge is that they are uncertain about their overall financial picture
in the year ahead. In today’s economy, your personal financial picture may
change from month-to-month, year-to-year. When you make a pledge for the
upcoming year, should your income drop dramatically, please know that you may
decrease your pledge by speaking with the Rector. On the other hand, should you
experience an added bonus or dividend during the year, you are of course free to
increase your pledge.
What if I was not able to pay
your pledge in full in years past?
Each year the slate is wiped clean. We send you an end
of year statement, and if you can catch up in the coming year, great! We
appreciate that. However, if circumstances prevented you from fulfilling past
pledges, do not allow that experience to discourage pledging for the upcoming
year. Simply throw away the old pledge envelopes and begin the New Year with the
new envelopes issued to you in December for the coming year.
When Do I Pledge?
You can make a pledge to the church at
any time. There are pledge cards in the pew racks in the church for this
purpose each week. Pledges are most helpful when made prayerfully as a
year-long commitment during the annual pledge drive in the fall, normally the
end of October/beginning of November. Most people
fulfill their pledges in installments, every week or every month, throughout
the year.
How much should
I pledge?
In truth, we can never give back to God as much as we
have been given. Each one of us needs to ask the question "how much is
enough" and answer it for oneself. Some of our members -- including and
especially our Rector -- have been tithing – giving 10% of their income –
for years, and they speak with great passion and joy for what the discipline has
meant in their lives. You are invited and encouraged to make your pledge a
proportional gift – a percentage of your household gross income. If pledging
is new for you, you may want to start small. Begin by giving 2% or 3% of your
household gross income and try to increase each year until you reach 10%.
What is St.
Clement's Endowment Fund?
This parish, historical landmark #1 in
San Clemente, has been a beacon of love and hope in this city for more than 75
years. In order to ensure that we are here to care for those that God brings
to us for 75 more years and beyond, we have established the St. Clement's
Endowment Fund. The Endowment Fund is designed to meet the long range needs of
this parish, ensuring in times of great need or expansion that we have the
resources necessary to meet whatever financial burden those times will
require. Planning ahead -- participating in Planned Giving -- ensures
that St. Clement's will be around for generations to come.
What is Planned Giving? It is the
integration of charitable giving with tax-advantaged estate planning that can
occur both during your life and at your death.
Endowment vehicles include:
- Simple Bequests in a Trust or Will
- Life Income Gifts
- Gifts of Life Insurance
- Gifts of Real Estate
- Gifts of Appreciated Property
- Gifts of Unused Retirement or Pension Funds
For more information, please contact the Rector,
Finance Chair or Treasurer at the church office at 949.492.3401.
