Gracious God, we give you thanks that in your Son Jesus you give us abundant life, filled with the blessing of your saving grace. We rejoice that you gather us into the fellowship of this community to share in your transforming love.

Open our hearts and our minds that each member may discern your call to participate in this generous undertaking as we make our commitments to support our parish.

Accept what we offer for the ministry of Church of the Redeemer-our time, our talent, and our treasure and help us to use it according to your purpose, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our NEW Outreach Missions monthly newsletter debuted recently. Each month, one of our "hands-on" mission opportunities will be featured. Click on the link here to download the current issue. In addition, the back page features information about stewardship and how we fund our ministries together. Click on the link here to download the current issue.

Click on the following for more information:

It is helpful for each of us to examine how we return our gifts to God. One way, Proportional Giving, means that we devote shares of our personal resources to the Lord’s work on a regular schedule throughout the year. It is a commitment made in response to the love that God has shown for us through Jesus Christ. It is a thank-offering of "ourselves, our souls and bodies." The Redeemer asks all members to dedicate a generous portion of their resources to God, through money, time, and talents, to enable the church to carry out its mission. The decision to set a goal for growing in generosity is a personal one. For many, this will involve several years of steady, intentional progress. When making your stewardship decision, set a goal that stretches you, but one that is right for your situation. Below are several alternative ways to establish a commitment to The Redeemer in proportion to the gifts you have been given by God. You may prefer another method. Please reflect on these suggestions privately, with prayerful consideration, to prepare your pledge for the coming twelve months.

My current proportional gift:
example my figures
12 months’ income $ 30,000 $ __________

I intend to move toward the Biblical standard, the tithe
(traditionally 10 percent of income):

monthly÷12 weekly÷50

My new pledge: $ _________$ _________ $ _________

For individuals who have benefited from investment growth, there are significant advantages in making gifts of appreciated stock to The Redeemer. Please consult your financial advisor.

example my figures

Next 12 months’ income $ 30,000 $ _________

Current giving level + 1% 4% _____% (multiply income by new percentage)

2009 Pledge $ 1,200 $ _________

I will start making a "fair share" contribution
About 500 households and individuals contribute annually to The Redeemer. If the 2009 operating budget (less endowment and other income) was divided equally among us, one share of the budget would be $2,434. As more households join this family of faithful givers, just imagine how it would strengthen our ministries!

2009 fair share pledge $2,434

Illustrative annual amounts
monthly÷12 weekly÷50

Annually      Monthly     Weekly
$ 1,200          $ 100        $ 24
$ 1,600          $ 133        $ 30
$ 2,400          $ 200        $ 48  - one "Share"
$ 3,000          $ 250        $ 60
$ 5,000          $ 417        $ 100

How to decide your gift?
Begin by considering the blessings of God that surround you. Pray for wisdom in making an offering that will glorify God and enrich the lives of others. Speak to other members of your household about what it means to give a good gift.

Proportional
Giving/Tithing
Base your gift on your household’s annual income. The Biblical tithe of 10% of your income is the traditional Christian standard for giving and is the teaching of the Episcopal Church. Try to increase your percentage for 2009 as you journey toward the tithe.

Compare your offering
If our pledge income budget was divided equally among our pledging households, the fair share would be $2,434. Last year, 492 households out of a potential 770 made pledges. The average pledge was $2,273. The median pledge was $1,200. So, half of our pledges fell below that amount.

Radical Giving
Make a gift that stretches your resources, demands sacrifices, and pushes beyond what is comfortable. In stretching we recall that God gives lavishly to us; our sacrifice in service to others is emblematic of Our Lord’s sacrifice for us; our comfort comes from knowing that we have enriched someone else’s life.

Ways to make your pledge and gifts.

By making a planned gift to Church of the Redeemer, you become a member of the Lycett Legacy Society.

Membership entitles you to attend a special reception with the Rector and Vestry once each year to discuss the future of the Church of the Redeemer. In addition, you will receive invitations to special events throughout the year. A permanent display of names is planned.

However, your greatest reward will be the knowledge that you recognized the needs of others, both now and in the future, and have responded to those needs with a personal gift.

Download a Lycett Society Brochure by clicking here. It contains most of the information you will need. Please contact Betsy MacIntosh, chair of the Planned Giving Committee with specific questions.