Stewardship - taking care of something we value and enabling it to grow. Consider a commitment of time, treasure, and talent to help sustain the religious community that nurtures your ideals. In this year of forward looking, the Stewardship Committee invites you to consider the future of our church community. We are stewards of our Unitarian Universalist faith when we volunteer, pledge and provide advice to help sustain our congregation. Contributions to our congregation may be financial (pledging, service auction, endowments and special funds), or volunteering for one of many opportunities to work for the church.
Each pledging unit (member or friend) pledges what they hope to be able to give to the church over the next 1 - 3 years. The finance committee develops a projected church budget for the next three years based on financial history, pledges, other income and expected expenses. Automatic withdrawal of pledges is encouraged to enhance church cash flow. The automatic withdrawal form below is submitted to Connie Schuelka, records administrator to initiate it. Requests to continue are on the pledge card. Donations of securities are also possible and should be discussed with Connie Schuelka or the Board of Directors Treasurer.
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Each November our congregation holds a service auction, where fellow congregants offer dinners, summer vacation homes, services, and various social events for auction. In fact, some people have commented that if it weren't for the auction, they wouldn't have a social life. Before the live auction, there is a silent auction where various baskets filled with goodies and some fixed price dinners/parties are offered. The auction evening becomes a social event (child care provided), and all proceeds go towards helping us sustain our congregation.
The Endowment Fund is held by the church with restrictions placed on distributions, separate from the operating budget, capital reserve or other funds; principal is never spent. To make a donation to the Endowment Fund one can make a bequest (name the church in your will), establish a charitable remainder trust, make direct gifts (securities, stocks, mutual funds, insurance policies, annuities, etc.), or make a memorial gift to the Endowment Fund in memory of someone.
The purpose of the Human Needs Fund is to provide monetary support to members in times of need and to improve accessibility and remove barriers to full participation in the life of the church community.
The Memorial and Gift Fund holds contributions received in memory of or in honor of congregants and is used for projects that enhance the physical beauty or usefulness of our church building and grounds over number of years.
The Memorial Garden Fund, used for maintenance of the Memorial Garden, consists of funds received from individuals donating to the garden or purchasing internment space.
HUMAN NEEDS FUND - Policy approved by the Board 12/16/2008
The purpose of the Human Needs Fund is to provide monetary support to members in times of need and to improve accessibility and remove barriers to full participation in the life of the church community.
Contributions to the Human Needs Fund can be allocated via the annual budget, designated by families as the preferred use of memorial gifts received, or donated in celebration or appreciation of an occasion or person. Contributions should not supplant a person's support of the annual fund.
The Fund will be administered as follows:
1) When a donation is received, the Treasurer will send a written thank you to the donor to acknowledge the gift.
2) Contributions will be deposited in the general account of the church. A named liability fund on the Balance Sheet will serve to reserve the money from year to year for the uses designated herein.
3) If the need relates to the improvement of accessibility or removal of barriers to full participation in the life of the church community:
a) Any individual, committee, or task force may initiate a proposal for the expenditure of monies accumulated in the Fund.
b) The proposal shall include a cost estimate and a recommendation as to the body that will take responsibility for administering the project. Such proposals must be reviewed by the named body for a recommendation on the appropriateness and feasibility of the project and by the Finance Committee on the appropriateness of the use of the Fund for the expenditure in question.
c) The Finance Committee may approve an expenditure of $500 or less. The Board of Directors must approve all expenditures from the Human Needs Fund described in Section 3 that will exceed $500. Once an expenditure is approved, the money is allocated to the project and is not available for the use described in Section 4 below.
d) Before work on a project begins, the responsible body will determine the actual cost or obtain bids for it. No project will commence unless there is sufficient money in the Fund to fully pay for it or other sources of money are available to add to the money from the Fund. The Finance Committee will monitor expenditures from the Fund and the responsible body will be in charge of supervising the work necessary to complete the projects.
4) If the need relates to an emergency financial situation of a congregant of our church who is on a fixed or limited income:
a) The Minister or Pastoral Care/Membership Coordinator may initiate the process to give funds to a member or attending friend of the church for occasional assistance with items such as transportation, household set-up, household repairs, rental assistance, groceries, gas and medical needs. The maximum amount a congregant can receive in one year is $500 for a member and $300 for an attending friend.
b) The Minister and the Pastoral Care/Membership Coordinator together will determine who will receive money, in what amount and in what form-check, cash, or money card-for amounts under $250. Amounts greater than $250 must be approved by the Minister, the Pastoral Care/Membership Coordinator, and the chair of the Caring Committee. Approval can be in person, by phone, or e-mail.
c) Accounting procedures for the disbursement of cash from the Fund will be developed by the Records Administrator, in accordance with best practices.