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Why I Give
Building Bridges To Our Future
We Are a Bridge
We celebrate our desires to stretch our wings towards where we wish to fly and soar free.
And thus, we make a bridge.
We affirm our commitment to remain connected to those who are still earth-bound and captive, remembering that a bridge may be a footpath or an umbrella.
And thus, we offer a bridge.
We acknowledge our own desires and also our interconnections with one another.
And thus, we build stronger bridges.
We honor our own hearts and also the hearts of our neighbors, friends, and fellow inhabitants of this ever-perplexing world.
And thus, we are a bridge.
– By Leslie Takahashi
Dear Beloved East Shore Community,
As we begin our third year with Rev. María Cristina, I am filled with hope for the future. I can see how each time we meet, talk, work together, welcome someone new, we are building a bridge to our future. I see new babies, a growing choir, new millennials and young adults, and events growing in size and excitement. I see the increase in justice work from the amazing experience of being in the Pride Parade to hosting Porchlight next month. I only see this trend continuing far into the future as long as we are strong enough bridges to get there.
For years, East Shore has been busy managing changes that at times have felt non-stop… but that time is over. We instead need to begin making a path for our future. That is why at the August Board Retreat, we made making a long term plan one of our goals for the year. We have already been working with Financial Stewardship and the Finance Team to look at the dollar and cents aspect. We are working with staff and the UUA as we continue to live into our values as we look at the long term sustainability of East Shore.
In 2027, we will have paid off the mortgage of the Education Building, freeing up more than $100,000 a year. We also hope the sale of the Holly House property will be complete, allowing us to reimburse our Endowment, make needed improvements, and flourish with opportunity.
We are looking at 2025 and 2026 and know we have some budget tightening years ahead of us. As we told you a few months ago, our Operating Budget has taken some large hits and the need to dip into our rainy day fund (Endowment), has been more than we had hoped. We are also looking ahead and not wanting to make rash decisions with permanent outcomes when it comes to making any budget cuts. We are asking you to help us build a bridge to the future.
For us to reach our goal, we would need each household to increase their pledge by 15%. We know that is not possible for everyone, so we are asking you to reach deep inside your heart and ask yourself if you have faith in East Shore’s future. As Elanor Roosevelt said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Will you dream with me and help us build a bridge to the future?
With Faith,
David Langrock
Board President
Pledge Now
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What Should I Give?
As members, we have a shared responsibility for the financial support of our church. Your pledge is a personal choice you must decide based on your current life and financial circumstances. For many, a pledge of 5% can be easily reached or surpassed. For others, such a goal may be difficult. If so, please consider making an initial pledge of 2% or 3% and increasing it, as your circumstances permit. If you can afford to pledge more, you will help others who are unable to do so. Use the following chart of monthly payments to help choose the amount right for you:
When you model generosity, you light a path for others to follow. By matching your values with your dollars, you benefit yourself as well as others because your actions match your aspirations. Giving feels good, and generous giving feels even better! ESUC needs and appreciates your generous giving. If you have any questions or concerns, or need a waiver from pledging, please talk to our Director of Membership Development, Nicole Duff.
Sustainable Giving
Sustainable Giving helps East Shore sustain church operations for the foreseeable future. As our operating costs increase, Sustainable Giving has an option for annual percentage increases in giving. A small increase can make a huge difference in our five to ten year financial plan. We are asking everyone who is comfortable with sustained giving to become a Sustainable Giver starting this year.
You simply pledge as normal, and indicate you’d like to become a Sustainable Giver and how much you’d like your pledge to increase in subsequent years. For example, if you are giving $200 a month and sign up for a 5% increase, the following year you would give $210 a month.
Questions? Talk Director of Membership Development, Nicole Duff.
How Can I Pay My Pledge?
There are many pledge payment options: Automatic Bank Withdrawal (ACH), Bill Pay, Credit Card, Check, Cash and others. However you choose to pay, we very much value your contribution!
- For cost efficiency, we urge every member to sign up for monthly Automatic Bank Withdrawals. Payments will be made effortlessly until you decide to change or stop them. The easiest way to set up an automatic bank withdrawal is to attach a voided check to your updated pledge form.
- Other payment methods are much less efficient or cost the church money. Credit cards charge 2-4% fees.
- Weekly or monthly cash or checks require significant manual bookkeeping effort.
Special Methods to Consider
The new tax law makes it more likely people will benefit from taking a now higher standard deduction on their tax return. There are a few ways you may be able to maximize the impact of your giving, and your deduction! Please consult your tax advisor first before using these methods.
- Donor Advised Funds (DAF) – Donors make a bulk donation to their account (and benefit from high itemized deductions), and distribute the money to non-profit organizations over several years.
- Payroll Deductions and Employer Matching Gifts: Some members have opted to utilize incentive programs at their place of employment to fulfill their pledge. If your employer excludes religious organizations, you may be able to utilize a third-party workplace giving application such as Benevity.
- IRA Distributions – If you are receiving income from an Individual Retirement Account, you may be able to use pre-tax IRA distributions to pay East Shore, saving you taxes on that portion of your income. You will see this listed as NonDeductible on your statement, and should receive a separate tax statement from your IRA account.
If you have questions on any of these types of methods, please reach out to Director of Membership Development, Nicole Duff and she can put you in contact with a member already doing this!
However you choose to pay, we very much value your contribution! Please contact Rebecca Chatfield, Director of Finance and Operations for any issues related to your payments.