Menu of Giving Opportunities
Stewardship Campaign for Fiscal Year 2025
Each of you should use whatever gifts you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” ~ 1 Peter 4:10
Message from Pastor Jesse about this year’s Stewardship Campaign
Hello Friends!
This year's Stewardship Campaign theme is Imagine Together, and if there is one thing I don’t need to imagine, it is . . .
Giving feels good!
Don’t take my word for it. There have been numerous scientific studies done on this topic. Research shows that giving makes people feel happy.
If there is another thing I know about our church family, it is . .
We are a very giving congregation!
I am reminded in 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 that we are called by God to be this way.
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Please join me in supporting this year’s Stewardship Campaign. Investing in your church community is one of the best charitable investments you can make. And you will feel good about doing so!
Why are you being asked to give?
(ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE MILLIONS IN THE
BANK)
It’s true, we do have two special trusts with millions of dollars in them. However, the church does not become the beneficiary of the Jehle Trust until 2059. Until that time, 5% of the total value of the trust can be used for capital expenses and mission grants each year. It was Paul Jehle’s wish that this money not be used for operating expenses. The other trust is the FCC Trust, funded mostly by former members. It has no restrictions, but we already use 5% of the total value of this trust to help meet daily operating expenses. We still need YOUR gift!
IMAGINE what our faith community can do if we tackle our budget deficit TOGETHER. The first step would be to fill out a pledge card to support the upcoming year’s budget. Pledging is a joyful adventure because it helps bring God’s unconditional love to ourselves and others every day. After all, our gifts and resources make ministry happen. By choosing to give even a little bit more, we will expand our shared goal to change lives – even our own.
This year, we are doing something different. We will be using funds from the FCC Trust to match increased giving to the Stewardship Campaign. Keep reading to learn more.
IMAGINE WHAT GIVING TOGETHER CAN DO!
What Does Your Pledge Support?
YOUR ANNUAL PLEDGE HELPS OTHER PEOPLE
It would be easy to think of your pledge to the Stewardship Campaign in unexciting ways (e.g., paying salaries, turning on the lights, securing insurance, etc.).
Your pledge is much more than just keeping the lights on!
Your gift/pledge to FCC’s annual Stewardship Campaign underwrites foundational expenses (e.g., salaries, utilities, materials, equipment, etc.) that are necessary to provide: counseling to those who have lost a loved one food to those who need a meal comfort for those struggling with physical and mental health issues dignity to families who access our clothing closet knowledge for young people seeking religious education
While your gift/pledge to the Stewardship Campaign does not cover all of the costs associated with these programs, it sets the stage and makes it all possible. We will explore this more at our IMAGINE TOGETHER potluck event on October 26th.
Will you please consider making a monthly pledge to this year’s Stewardship Campaign? Your support will make a huge difference!
2025 Stewardship Campaign Goal
HOW TO RAISE $200K ONE PLEDGE AT A TIME?
As the old joke goes, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!“ Sure, $200,000 sounds like a lot of money. However, when everyone chips in with a monthly pledge, we can achieve this fundraising goal and make a big difference.
More importantly, monthly pledges -- both big and small -- are critically important to helping our congregation achieve our mission and LIVE LOVE!
There’s room for pledges both big and small. Here’s how we will achieve our 2025 campaign fundraising goal.
Why Increase Your 2025 Pledge?
YOUR INCREASED GIVING GETS MATCHED
The FCC Trust cannot keep funding our operating budget. At this rate, the fund will be depleted in just a few years.
So, this year the FCC Trust will match your “increased giving” to the 2025 Stewardship Campaign.
Here is how it works . . .
If you made a $50/month pledge last year and decided to increase your monthly pledge to $60, then that’s a $10/month increase, which works out to a $120 increase in charitable giving for the year.
In this example, the FCC Trust would match every dollar of your increased giving with two dollars. This 2-to-1 match means your $120 increase would net another $240 towards next year’s operating budget.
Here is an easy rule of thumb when determining the impact of increasing your monthly pledge to this year:
Increase your monthly giving by $100/month and the FCC Trust will kick-in $200/month.
Increase your monthly giving by $50/month and the FCC Trust will kick-in $100/month.
If you don’t pledge and only give through the collection plate, then nothing gets matched.
Why Pledge Instead of Just Give?
MAKING YOUR 2025 PLEDGE IS FLEXIBLE & EASY AND IMPORTANT FOR BUDGETING
When everyone in the congregation makes a pledge, the Church Council is able to accurately budget and make plans for what it can afford in the upcoming year.
Without the ability to forecast revenue, it becomes difficult to:
Manage cash flow
Develop budgets for ministries
Plan for staffing
Please consider making a pledge. Don’t worry . . . you can always tweak your commitment if life throws you a curveball.
FRONT SIDE OF FORM
You can divide your annual pledge into monthly or weekly gifts
$1,200/yr = $100/mo or $23/wk
If your circumstances change, you can always modify your pledge
BACK SIDE OF FORM
You can make giving easy by setting up a one-time, monthly, or weekly charge on your credit or debit card by filling out the back side of your pledge card.
There are other options available to you, too (e.g., offering envelopes, onetime payments, donor advised fund grants, qualified charitable distribution from an IRA account, etc.).
2025 Stewardship Campaign
MONTHLY GIVING PLEDGE PAYMENT MADE EASY
e-Giving Credit Card Option
The world is a busy place and technology is the foundation that successful organizations are built upon.
Tithe.ly is a digital giving tool that allows you to give online or via a smartphone app using your credit or debit card. You can set up automatic monthly contributions to pay down your Stewardship Campaign pledge. Most importantly, this technology is secure and makes your life easier. (Note: This platform will pass along credit card processing fees to the church, but you have the option to cover those fees with the simple click of a button.)
EFT Checking Account Option
Vanco is similar to Tithe.ly. However, instead of using a credit or debit card, you are able to set up a monthly debit that comes directly out of your checking account and is applied to your Stewardship Campaign pledge. Most importantly, this technology is secure and makes your life easier.
This platform does pass along processing and credit card fees to the church. If you wish to pick-up these small fees, please ask someone in the church office to calculate those costs so you can include them in your overall donation amount.
Why choose an electronic option to pay your pledge?
There are many reasons to sign your paper pledge form and use Tithe.ly or Vanco to make your monthly payments.
It saves the church money through reduced administrative costs. 1. It provides flexibility, saves time, and helps avoid missed pledge payments. 2. It is environmentally conscious by reducing the use of paper and offering plate pledge envelopes. 3. It guarantees a reliable & predictable monthly cash flow the church can count on to pay its bills. 4.
Additional Giving Opportunties
YOUR ABOVE & BEYOND GIVING SUPPORTS OUR COMMUNITY& THOSE WHO NEED US
It is true. Your pledge to this year’s Stewardship Campaign will support so many worthy and worthwhile things throughout the 2025 fiscal year. However, if you are someone who budgets your charitable giving at the start of every year, then you should know there will be many additional opportunities to give and make a difference throughout 2025.
In addition to the five wider UCC community giving opportunities listed on the next page of this booklet, other occasions for your support include:
Coffee Hour
Altar Flowers
Pastor’s Discretionary Fund
Soup Kettle
Clothing Closet (in-kind clothing donations)
Concert series
Christmas Eve Special Collection
Mission projects (e.g., Channing Elementary School outreach, Welcome Box project for new arrivals, etc.)
Your giving makes a difference to your church community and the community that exists beyond the walls of our church.
2025 Special Collections
YOUR ABOVE & BEYOND GIVING SUPPORTS INITIATIVES BEYOND OUR WALLS
Do you create an annual charitable giving budget for all of your favorite causes and organizations? Then you probably appreciate being able to “plan ahead” for special collections for our wider United Church of Christ community.
These special offerings support the church’s national and international efforts and will occur throughout 2025 They are not part of your Stewardship Campaign pledge
UCC Offering: One Great Hour of Sharing
One Great Hour of Sharing® is a Lenten Offering that supports the disaster, refugee, and development ministries of the United Church of Christ within Wider Church Ministries.
UCC Offering: Strengthen the Church
The Strengthen the Church (STC) Offering reflects the shared commitment of people across the United Church of Christ to cooperatively build up the UCC. Conferences and the national setting equally share the gifts given by members of local congregations. The funds raised support leadership development, new churches, youth ministry, and innovation in existing congregations.
UCC Offering: Neighbors In Need
Neighbors in Need (NIN) supports the UCC’s ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. Two-thirds of the offering is used by the UCC’s Justice and Witness Ministries to fund a wide array of local and national justice initiatives, advocacy efforts and direct service projects.
UCC Offering: Our Church’s Wider Mission (OCWM)
OCWM funds go to UCC Associations, Conferences, and to the national and global church, and are invested in programs, resources, and tools needed to keep local churches strong, effective, and growing. OCWM helps provide pastoral placement and education for church leaders, worship materials and theological interpretation, resources and training for stewardship and fundraising, and so much more.
UCC Offering: Christmas Fund for Veterans of the Cross
The Christmas Fund has been caring for active and retired clergy and lay employees of the United Church of Christ for over 100 years, providing emergency grants, supplementation of small annuities and health premiums, and Christmas “Thank You” gift checks to our lower-income retirees.
Memorial or Tribute Gifts
W H E N Y O U W A N T T O R E M E M B E R
S O M E O N E S P E C I A L
When a loved one passes away, you may want to make a memorial gift in their name in lieu of sending flowers.
First Congregational Church of Elgin would be honored to help you honor someone’s memory.
Additionally . . .
In Memory of
Sometimes, congregation members want to make a legacy gift via their will or another type of planned gift.
This type of giving is typically motivated by wanting to see a program they love continue receiving support after they have passed away.
FCC’s Memorial Fund was established to receive both of these types of monetary gifts in the name of deceased loved ones.
Funds are used primarily to pay for special needs that are not covered in the annual budget.
For more information, please contact the church office at (847) 7414045.
Thank You!
Your gift/pledge to the Stewardship Campaign helps support FCC’s volunteer leadership teams
Church Council
Beth Claxton, Moderator
[vacant], Vice Moderator
Kurt Neumann, Treasurer
Mary Underhill, Church Clerk
Jennifer Green, Member At Large
John Schlomann, Member At Large
Janet Aldred, Member At Large
Lorri Powell, Member At Large
Mission & Outreach
Deb Leberecht
Vicki Frederick
Anna Cannone
Pat Segel
Dawn Schmied
Veronica Noland
Wendy Breitmayer
Michael Montgomery
(Eco Group includes Paul Stocksdale, Jim Hinton, Bill Becker John & Lori Schultz)
Music
John Schultz
Kathi Bernhard
Sonia Solomonson
Beth Mitchell
Ben Brictson
Building & Grounds
Paul Turk
Don Patterson
Rich Wagner
Charlie Hall
Please also consider
Faith Formation
Krista DeBolt
Katie Kamenjarin
Charlotte Norman Khoa Ngo
Gloria Helin
Savannah Lile
Gina Orazi
Finance
Mary Ellen Flaks
Jeanne Rothlisberger
Judy Leith
Erik Anderson
Shirley May Byrnes
Sue Laude
Pat Jocius, Memorials
Bonnie Turk, Memorials
Worship & Hospitality
Sandy Dalton
Janet Banwart
Marilyn Kauffman
Kirsten Pedersen
Lori Schultz
Gloria Helin
Debbie Helin-Wetzel
Governance
Dennis Leberecht
Lyn Humbracht
Rep. to Assoc. & IL Conference
Gina Orazi