Halfway There

A minister was in a long line at a gas station. The cashier said: “It seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long trip.” And the minister replied, “It’s the same in my business.”

As I write this, we are 4 weeks into our canvass, and half of our pledging families (200 out of 350+) have made their financial pledge. It used to surprise me that after a month only half a congregation would answer the call to make their pledge.

After all, it happens every year, it’s not a surprise or anything. It takes less than 5 minutes to fill out a card. Why would it take more than a month to answer the call?

I think many of us have an ambivalent attitude toward financially supporting our church.

We like church, but we are uneasy with the thought of paying for it. And if we don’t send our money in, we won’t get our home foreclosed on, our water or electricity turned off, our cable TV going dark, or our cell phone silenced.

Does my congregation really need “my” financial donation? The short answer is: yes.

We have collected about $300,000 of the $430,000 we hope to collect for the annual canvass. Half the members and friends have already contributed more than half the money we need. But it is those last few dollars and pledges that will make a difference.

We operate on a very thin margin. It is the extraordinary generosity that makes things happen, that keeps the mortgage paid, the water & electricity flowing, the phone and computer systems humming.

Frankly, it’s a miracle that 570+ mostly unrelated adults get together and continue a 50 year tradition that is Eliot. They don’t have to. No one is forcing them.

And yet, the miracle that is Eliot continues.

Soon, we will send out an email and begin to make phone calls for the remaining pledges. After that, we will send a letter, and then another one. That’s what it takes to get some folks to follow through on their implicit promise they make when they agree to support Eliot.

The implicit covenant is this: when you join a church like Eliot, you promise to support it with your care, concern, and gifts. You do this because you know that is what it takes to make Eliot happen.

In turn, the community makes things happen you could never do on your own: we foster free religious thought in Kirkwood, we nurture spiritual growth for hundreds of children and adults; and we act for social justice in many, many ways.

No matter how often you come to church, whether or not you like the music or the preaching on a particular Sunday, the miracle that is Eliot Chapel is deserving of your speedy, thoughtful consideration.

Only you can know how generous you want to be financially with Eliot. But all of us can know, that getting a pledge card in quickly– regardless of the amount– enables the leadership to plan well for the short term future.

How much should you pledge? I think 3% is a goal worth shooting for. It’s what Bonnie and I aim for. Gross or net or adjusted gross or whatever. Pick a number.

If that number is too big, think about a base line pledge of $150 per month (Bonnie and I are increasing 5%, and will be at $275 per month, starting now).

In any event, think about a 5% increase to support a cost of living adjustment for our excellent, new staff. For the vast majority of us, a 10% increase in our pledge wouldn’t even be noticed in our cash flow.

And remember the Preservation Pledge the congregation unanimously voted for at our last annual meeting. That works out to $1 per day for 3 years. I just wrote a check for $365 last month.

So? If you feel you can’t afford $365 for a Preservation pledge, then make some smaller amount. It is important to participate in the Preservation Pledge at whatever level you can. Your financial contribution is more important than the actual amount.

It may seem like a lot to ask for a 5% raise and another $365 per year to fix up the aging sanctuary. It is.

It is a lot to ask 570+ mostly unrelated adults and over 300 children to think about coming to church several times a month, to teach, to sing, to read, to talk, to drink coffee, to delve thoughtfully into the great events of the day, to truly consider who we really are, and who we really want to be.

It’s too much to ask, really. It’s an impossible undertaking. Probably one that shouldn’t even be tried.

But that’s what we ask people to do. And by some sort of incredible, wonderful miracle, that’s what happens.

If you have already made your pledge: bless you and thank you.

If you haven’t yet made your pledge, you can call us, email us, go to our web site and fill out a form. There are a dozen ways to say: Yes! Eliot is important, and I’m going to do my share to make it happen.

May you feel good about your generosity, and may we continue the miracle that is Eliot.