Note from the Pastor
“Some give freely yet grow all the richer.” - Proverbs 11:24a
Dear Beloved PUMC Community,
I learned about generosity as a young child at the United Methodist Church I grew up in. I learned to bring a portion of my allowance to put in the offering plate Sunday to Sunday. My grandparents modeled generous giving to the church. I completed Lenten challenges, which felt huge at the time, setting aside a quarter a day, and a dollar every Sunday. I filled banks with coins for missions. As I got older, I felt proud and excited to be able to make a pledge during the fall campaigns. I’m deeply grateful for people around me who know that generosity is taught, learned from our community and developed through our discipleship journey.
As a young adult, though, finances were extremely tight for a number of years, and generosity felt more painful and risky than it had before. Giving the way I was taught, the way I wanted to, the way I believed God was inviting me to, was not easy. I found that my faith and my finances were often at odds. The nudge for me was to start to work through these tensions to bring my faith and my finances into harmony. As a result I began to look at money differently. I began making some hard decisions about how to steward my finances. I let go of some things I assumed I needed and deserved in order to live more generously and aligned with my faith. The pain lessened. The joy of generosity increased. And this continues to be part of my own journey: bringing my faith and finances into harmony as a wise and generous disciple of Jesus.
John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, offers us much wisdom when it comes to this type of discipleship work. He encourages us to earn all we can, save all we can, and give all we can. He goes even further, saying that we are to do these things, while holding onto our identity as beloved children of God, who trust God and follow Jesus. Always, Wesley admonishes us, even as we deal with our finances, we are to do no harm, do good, and stay in love with God.
Through the following pages, we’ll share about how Princeton UMC does kingdom-building, belovedcommunity-growing ministry with your financial gifts. We hope that you’ll be inspired by what God is doing in and through us here at PUMC. We also hope that you will prayerfully consider your contribution to PUMC for 2026. Perhaps this is also an invitation to notice how your faith and finances are harmonizing these days and to see how the Holy Spirit might be guiding you.
Friends, we must also continue to share that we have been operating with a budgeted deficit for the past three years. One of our stated goals for this year is to adopt a balanced budget for 2026 (and beyond) that supports PUMC’s vision, program, and maintenance priorities. Additionally we have a necessary goal of increasing our pledges, particularly among those in our congregation, who are currently not yet giving intentionally or regularly.
Every gift counts. Every gift matters. This is what it is to be a community of faith: all are needed, all give as they can, all gifts come together to help this community flourish. This can’t be done without you and your financial contributions. Thanks be to God for you and for the ways God is growing generosity and God’s kingdom in and through PUMC.
Peace and Love,
Princeton UMC Budget at a Glance
Total: $697,578
Want to know more? Our detailed budgets are available for public access. Scan the QR code below for our latest budget report, or request one from the office (office@princetonumc.org).
You can also request information about our investment accounts, endowment, or designated funds, none of which are available for general operating expenses.
State of the Church
We believe that God’s vision for Princeton UMC includes three Vision Impact Statements:
PUMC empowers people to embrace the fullness of life offered in the life, death, and resurrectionofJesusChrist.
PUMC is a source of solidarity, grace, and flourishing for our neighbors in Princeton who arehurting,inneed,orfacinginjustice.
PUMC is committed to creating and maintaining physical, spiritual, and online space that isgracious,restorative,andhealing.
The Leadership and Discipleship Boards annually update our Mission, Vision, Values, and Priorities. We invite YOU to help PUMC move forward into the vision that God has given us. Following are our current Priorities, along with some ways you can help.
Establish a model of congregational care: An updated model of congregational care is launching this fall with the training and commissioning of Lay Congregational Care Ministers, who will partner with Pastor Jenny to create a net of care throughout the congregation. How you can help:
Ask for prayer and care when you need it
Encourage others to ask for prayer and care when they need it
Pray for and encourage our new Congregational Care Ministers
Launchaninitialphaseofhands-onjusticeandmercyministry: God is calling PUMC to build relationships with our neighbors who are hurting, in need, or facing injustice, and to stand in solidarity with the most vulnerable among us, working together to create a more just world through God's grace. God is particularly calling us to justice and mercy ministry with those who struggle with financial or mental health. The next phase is to discern how we are being called to enact this in a hands-on way. How you can help:
Volunteer to be part of the team to discern and launch this next phase
Help us connect with local organizations who could become potential partners with us
Learn more about economic and mental health struggles
State of the Church
Establish an ongoing system of evaluating and increasing the level of physical and psychological accessibility and safety at PUMC: Being inclusive and welcoming of all people requires awareness of those things that keep people from being able to participate fully in the congregation. This includes both physical and psychological aspects. This year we will be identifying ways we can create more positive experiences as people walk through our doors, worship, join activities, and interact.
How you can help:
Volunteer to be part of the team to lead this effort
Share your ideas about ways to increase physical and psychological accessibility
Practice hospitality and welcome with all who enter our building
Adopt a 2026 (and subsequent) budget that supports PUMC program and maintenance priorities at a level that is sustained by expected revenues without deficit and Increase pledge income: While PUMC has some very generous givers, revenue from community groups using our building has increased, and the Leadership Board has been working to “right size” our staff and expenses, we have continued to operate with a deficit budget. This can’t continue. For our church community to fully thrive, both financially and spiritually, financial contributions and engagement from each person who depends on PUMC’s ministry are needed.
How you can help:
Make a pledge for 2026 during this fall pledge campaign. Every gift matters.
Automate your giving through our electronic giving portal or recurring bank payments
Step up to giving $10 per week - or $100 per month
Increase your giving by 10%
Step up to giving the PUMC average annual gift of $3000
Year in Review Option 1
A year ago we started with our stewardship campaign, “Tiny Seeds, Great Harvest,” learning about ways we can use the gifts God has given us to help the community around us.
We then jumped into “Soul Companions,” and learned by sharing our faith stories and journeying together.
For Advent and Christmas, we looked at what it means to “Make Room” for those who we may find on the outskirts of society just as God makes room for us.
For Epiphany, in the series “Building Hope,” we drew upon scriptures in Isaiah to give us hope for the world we live in now.
During Lent, our series was “With Whom is my Heart?” We took a look about what God and the Bible have to say about how we participate in justice and mercy.
In our Easter series, “I AM Fully Alive,” we focused on how we become alive, fruitful, and full of life through Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection.
In the season of Pentecost, we studied the words and methods of John Wesley in “And Are We Yet Alive?” In this series we reviewed his views on grace, holy living, and how we do good works.
After the summer, we resumed our worship series with “Ears to Hear,” and looked at ways we can learn to listen to God as a spiritual practice.
Contagious Joy
This share of our budget goes to worship, which inspires us to practice joy, delighting in God’s presence and grace in every aspect of our lives. Our joyful responses to God’s grace spark joy in those around us.
In the 2025 fiscal year, we spent and/or allocated $181,370 toward Contagious Joy. That is 26% - more than a quarter of our budget! These are some tangible ways we have implemented that.
26% $181,370
Statistics
Combined in-person and online worship attendance is up 3% over 2025 56% of worship attendance continues to be online. Online worshipers connect via two different platforms (Facebook or Vimeo), and asynchronously throughout the week
“Singing in the choir with my friends and Mr. Tom makesworshipfun,oneofmyfavoritepartsofchurch!” - Anna Griffiths.
Gathering – in worship and in fellowship – helps us all findjoy.
Compassionate Servanthood
32%
$223, 225
Statistics
Over 5000 diapers collected and bundled for The Maker’s Place
500 pounds of food collected for Arm in Arm on Brown Bag Sunday 1000 Back-to-School supplies for CCK
Following Jesus to the margins of society and experience, we seek to see, know, love, and share with those who are outcast, overlooked, oppressed, and forgotten. Together we work for justice, and restoration through our missions and outreach.
This year we used 32% of our budget - the largest share - for missions and outreach, which amounts to $223,225.
$10,734 given to 18 local area community partners, such as Not In Our Town and Home Front
$3750 given to 3 United Methodist community partners, such as Maker’s Place and Methodist Homes
$62,100 given to our United Methodist Shared Ministry Missions and Benevolences around the world
“PUMC provides much needed financial assistance for The Maker’s Place. It’s both a diaper bank and a resource center for moms, focusing on maternal health and welfare.” - Lori Pantaleo, board member of The Maker’s Place, a GNJ Hope Center
Whether sorting diapers, supporting a charity race, or singing for elders at Stonebridge, PUMC membersofallageseagerlyserve.
Engaged Growth
Through our formation ministries, we actively further our journey of discipleship, immersing ourselves in the community, tools, and guidance that form us, free us, and perfect us in love.
Engaged Growth accounted for 19% of our budget this year, using $132,540.
“Participation in my small growth group,ahighlightofmyweek,supports myspiritualgrowthandunderstanding of scripture in ways I never anticipated.” - Michele Tuck-Ponder
ChildrenlearnaboutHolyCommunion whentheyareyoung.
19% $132,540
Statistics
27 people in 4 special interest small groups
40 people in 4 year-long Growth Groups
15 people in 5 short-term Seasonal Groups
3 Nursery Kids
35 Compassion Camp Kids
18 Children’s Choir Singers
6 Youth Group & Youth Choir Participants
18 Adult Chancel and Bell Choir Members
132 paperback and Kindle copies of our Lenten Devotional distributed, and more at no cost in PDF format
Deepening Diversity
We reflect God’s diverse creation and the fullness of God’s kingdom as a fully inclusive, equitable, accessible, multicultural (intercultural), antiracist community in all aspects of our lives together.
Deepening Diversity accounted for 13%, or $90,685 this year.
13% $90,685
“As the administrative director at PUMC, I’m grateful for the many ways this beloved community creates meaning for so many people at different places on their faith journey.” - Tyler Mathiesen
PUMC staff, lay leaders, volunteers, and congregants aim to meet folks where they areandmakeallfeelwelcomehere.
22 people participated in our Newcomers Group
8 Baptisms (5 children, 3 adult)
11 Additional New Members
9 Plan-Your-Visits through our website 91 New People added to our roster (visitors, new constituents, etc.) Statistics
10%
$69,758
Creative Innovation
We embrace our God-given creativity to experiment, explore, try new things, embracing our failures and our discoveries. We are open to new ideas, expressions of faith, and ways of being a church, paving the way for others.
Creative Innovation constitutes 10% of our budget. This amounts to $69,758. While being the smallest portion, Creative Innovation is an important part of our ministry here at Princeton UMC.
“This year, the Leadership and Discipleship boards started having quarterly congregational meetings, so now I feel muchmoreconnected.” -
Barbara Fox
To welcome all ages, during worship, we offer a Family Corner.
Statistics
107 participants in our Lent Lecture Series 16 Focus Groups and Task Forces commissioned by our Leadership and Discipleship Boards to adapt current ministries to new situations or to meet
We made and distributed ceramic hearts for the Lenten series, "With Whom Is My Heart." A first this summer – VBS Compassion Camp at “home,” fully staffedbyPUMCvolunteers.
John Wesley’s ideas on money can be summed up to earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can. Here at Princeton UMC, we want to live by that not only as a congregation, but as individuals as well. That’s why this October for our stewardship campaign we will be studying in depth what Wesley had to say about managing our finances.
Along with our worship and sermon series, we will be taking a close look at the book Earn. Save. Give. by James A. Harnish. This book takes a deep dive into Wesley’s philosophy on money management and how we as Christians can use money to do all the good we can. We encourage you to look into buying a copy to follow along at home or in your Growth Group.
To buy a copy or a kindle E-reader version, you can scan the QR code, which will take you to an amazon page. We hope you will consider following along with us! Earn. Save. Give.: Wesley’s Simple RulesforMoney| James A. Harnish
We are a diverse faith community, engaged in enlivening spiritually thirsty people to joyfully respond to God’s love and grow as disciples of Christ, so that together we may experience the fullness of life.
