Dreaming God’s Menu of Giving Opportunities
Stewardship Campaign for 2026 Budget Year
“You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us. ”
2 Corinthians 9:11, NRSVUE
Message from Pastor Jesse about this year’s Stewardship Campaign
Why are you being asked to give?
(ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE MILLIONS IN THE BANK)
Your Gifts Make a Difference!
You might know our church has special funds, called trusts, with a lot of money. While these trusts are a blessing, we can only use a
What Does Your Pledge Support?
What Does Your Pledge Support?
“Continuation of the Pipe Organ Tour would be a good thing. Attracting churches that did not participate and would like to join the Tour 2025/2026 season, along with others that would like to repeat the experience, would draw our community together by supporting each other even more. ”
~Member of the Music Ministry
“We would love to have more programs for the kids, but in order to do so we need more kids attending church regularly. Our hope is to do some service projects with our kids. This way they are giving back to the community and seeing important aspects of our faith. ”
~Member of the Faith Formation Ministry
“[My dream would be to] continue our work with the Jehle Grants and Clothing Closet, increase our involvement with the Elgin Pride Festival, continue offering support to immigrants through working with El Centro de Informacion, and much more.”
~Member of the Mission & Outreach Ministry
In order for our ministries to start their 2026 planning work, they need to know how much money they have to work with. Making your pledge today, helps us make plans for 2026
Why Increase Your 2026 Pledge?
YOUR INCREASED GIVING GETS MATCHED
Double Your Impact with a Matching Gift!
The FCC Trust can’t keep covering our church’s regular costs forever. If we keep using it this way, it could run out in just a few years.
Matching Gift Example
$1,800 Three Times The Impact
That’s why your pledge matters—and this year, there’s a special opportunity! The FCC Trust will match your increased giving 2-to-1 for the 2026 Stewardship Campaign.
Here’s how it works . . .
If you gave $50/month last year and raise it to $100/month, that’s a $50 increase. Over a year, that adds up to $600. The FCC Trust will match that with $1,200, tripling your impact!
Quick guide:
Increase by $100/month FCC Trust adds $200/month
Increase by $50/month FCC Trust adds $100/month No pledge No match
Your increased giving helps keep our church strong and helps us Dream God’s Dream. Let’s make the most of this match!
Why Increase Your 2026 Pledge?
YOUR INCREASED GIVING CAN HELP UNLOCK A CHALLENGE GIFT FOR CHANNING SCHOOL
This year, we have a wonderful opportunity to make a huge difference in our community with a special Giving Challenge.
This challenge is separate from the matching gift program we explained on the previous page.
How the Giving Challenge works . . .
50 households increase their 2026 pledge above what they pledged in 2025
$3,000 funding for Channing Elementary School project
2026 Stewardship Campaign Goal
While $250,000 might sound like a hefty goal, it really isn’t when everyone makes a pledge for what they are capable of contributing.
Signing a pledge form and setting up an online monthly contribution via the Realm Connect app, can make it easier for you to give at greater levels.
For example, it might be difficult to write a one-time $2,500 check. However, a $2,500 pledge is a monthly pledge payment of $208.33, which can be more manageable.
$10,000 . . . $833.33
$5,000 . . . . $416.67
$2,500 . . . . . $208.33
$1,000 . . . . . $83.33
$500 . . . . . . . $41.67
There is room for pledges both big and small. Here is how we will achieve our campaign fundraising goal . . .
Why Consider Monthly Giving?
The Realm Connect app makes it easy for church members to manage their donations. You can set up monthly gifts so you don’t have to remember to give each time. The app helps you:
See your donation history
Make & pay pledges
Change or cancel your monthly or pledge payments
To start a monthly gift, just open the app and go to the Giving section. Follow the steps to enter how much you want to give and how often. It’s a simple way to support your church from anywhere.
Steps to Set Up Monthly Giving
1. Open the Realm Connect app
Log in using your church account.
2. Go to the Giving section
Find the part of the app where you can give.
3. Choose Recurring Donation
Pick the option to give automatically each month.
4. Select Payment Method
Choose how you want to pay (e.g., credit card, etc.
5. Enter Amount and Frequency
Type in how much you want to give; set to monthly
6. Confirm and Save
Check your details and save your monthly gift.
Why Pledge Instead of Just Give?
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.
Additional Giving Opportunties
Thank You!
Your gift/pledge to the Stewardship Campaign helps support FCC’s volunteer leadership teams
Church Council
Beth Claxton, Moderator
Gloria Helin, Vice Moderator
Judy Leith/Dennis Leberecht, Treasurer
Shannon Lile, Church Clerk
Mary Underhill, Member At Large
John Schlomann, Member At Large
Janet Aldred, Member At Large
Lorri Powell, Member At Large
Mission & Outreach
Deb Leberecht
Vicki Frederick
Brian Stark
Pat Segel
Dawn Schmied
Veronica Noland
Wendy Breitmayer
Michael Montgomery
Music
John Schultz
Kathi Bernhard
Sonia Solomonson
Beth Mitchell
Ben Brictson
Building & Grounds
Paul Turk
Don Patterson
Beth Mitchell
Charlie Hall
Faith Formation
Krista DeBolt
Katie Kamenjarin
Charlotte Norman
Savannah Lile
Finance
Dennis Leberecht
Jeanne Rothlisberger
Judy Leith
Erik Anderson
Shirley May Byrnes
Sue Laude
Liz Sharf, Memorials
Pat Jocius, Memorials
Bonnie Turk, Memorials
Worship & Hospitality
Sandy Dalton
Janet Banwart
Marilyn Kauffman
Kirsten Pedersen
Lori Schultz
Barb Burton
Debbie Helin-Wetzel
Governance
Lyn Humbracht
Steve Aldred
Pat Segel
Sue Ruf
Rep. to Assoc. & IL Conference
Jennifer Green