Stewardship 3 | Saint John's Niantic

In the third week of the Pledge Campaign, parishioners are told “there are many ways to give to St John’s”

Holly Cheeseman says several easy options for donating to the church

Holly Cheeseman, a member of St John’s Finance Committee has provided guidance to parishioners about how they can contribute to church funds as part of the new pledge campaign launched at the beginning of October.

The “10-10-10 Pledge Campaign” urges parishioners to increase the amount they pledge by 10 percent each year for the next three years. The Senior Warden Jon Cook told parishioners that the extra funds would pay for a greater share of the time of a priest, and allow St John’s to recruit a new, paid director of Christian education to replace the voluntary work of Evamarie Cooper and Jan Nykyforchyn when they step away from the role later this year.

In his presentation to the congregation last week, the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Ken Nowell, emphasized the importance of pledging as a way of committing to annual donations in a way that allowed St John’s to plan its spending.

In the third address to church members, Holly Cheeseman describes “several easy options” allowing church members to fit pledges into their lives:

You can use a pledge envelope to put the amount you have committed to, either as cash or a check, into the collection plate.
You can set up recurring payments, whether by credit card more directly from your bank to St John’s.
You can mail a check to the church, whether as a lump sum or in multiple smaller amounts that suit your schedule.
You can use the “required minimum distribution” (RMD) from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA), or from a Donor Advised Fund to send a portion of it to the church.
Stocks that have gained in value can also be donated.

Holly said, “These methods have tax advantages that will benefit you as a donor.”

For example, contributions made from donor advised funds are tax deductible.

A Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) is the amount that it is mandatory to withdraw each year from a tax-deferred retirement account such as an IRA once you reach a certain age. You must be at least 70 years and six months old, but typically RMDs begin at 73.

The funds are passed in what is called a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) by the institution holding your IRA directly to the church. The donated amount is excluded from your taxable income and can help reduce taxes on Social Security benefits or lower Medicare-related income adjustments.

Holly said, “As we create a vision for the church, we will need your support to reach our goals. Giving regularly, in any amount, will help us create the future for St. John’s that we all desire.”

Holly’s message in full:

Message for October 18

You have already heard why your pledge is so important and how your giving relates to our Christian mission to serve one another. This morning I want to talk about how easily you can fit the act of pledging into your life.

When you receive your request letter, have a look at the various ways you can pledge and support St. John’s. Once you have decided on your pledge amount, then choose how you would like to make your payments. This year, you have several easy options. You can choose to receive pledge envelopes. Each week, simply put your pledge (cash or check) in the envelope and place in the collection plate.

You can set up recurring payments, by credit card or directly from your bank to St. John’s. Set once and the church receives your gift, even when you can’t attend a service.

You can mail a check directly to the church. This can work when you want to make your donation in one lump sum or simply want to donate on your own schedule.

If you are required to take a minimum distribution from your Individual Retirement Account, you can send a portion of that RMD directly to the church. The same holds true if you have a Donor Advised Fund. If you have stocks that have gained in value, they can also be used to fulfill a pledge by donating them to the church. These methods all have tax advantages that can benefit you as a donor.

In short, there are many ways to give to St. John’s. As we create a vision for the church, we will need your support to reach our goals. Giving regularly, in any amount, will help us create the future for St. John’s that we all desire.