2024-2025 Pledge Year
New pledges welcome throughout the year!
What is Pledging?
Pledging to support the ministry of our congregation is a spiritual statement about your values, your priorities, and your vision for our community and world. Pledges are financial commitments by members and friends for the operations budget of the church for July-June. Pledges represent over 91% of our annual budget and allow UUSD to make realistic spending plans. Your pledge helps make it possible to have this beloved community in our lives.
Pledging for the next fiscal year occurs each March during the Annual Pledge Campaign. But pledges are welcome at any time. Read below for how to make a pledge at any time.
What Does My Financial Pledge Support?
• Spiritual leadership from our full-time minister
• Programming for our children’s ministry by our Children’s Faith Exploration Director
• Inspiration from a music program guided by our Director of Music Ministries
• Support and staff for our ministries, committees, and administrative functions
• Mortgage, utilities, and insurance to keep our building operational
• Building and grounds coordination, maintenance, and security
• Supplies to support our many programs
• Dues paid to UUA groups that provide resources, support, and training to UUSD
What Amount Do I Pledge?
All of us have our own unique circumstances to consider in making our financial commitment to UUSD. Our 2024-25 Pledge Campaign Brochure and its generosity guide are tools to help you determine what your support might be.
How Do I Pledge?
You can submit your completed pledge in several ways:
- Complete an online form.
- Print and complete a paper form and mail it to UUSD, marking the envelope “Attn: Treasurer.”
How Do I Contribute Toward my Pledge?
You can contribute with check or online at Donate on our website. Offering plate cash is non-identifiable and not applied to a pledge.
Checks can be personal or 3rd-party as with a retirement distribution. You can drop a check in the offering basket on Sundays or deliver/mail to the church with “Attention: Treasurer.” All checks by those with a current pledge are applied to the pledge unless specified otherwise, e.g., Share the Plate.
Online contributions at Donate can be one-time or recurring. See the FAQs at the bottom of the Donate page. Be sure to select Pledge as the Fund when making an online contribution.
If you need to help with fulfilling your pledge or need to revise your pledge commitment during the year, please contact your Treasurers at treasurer@uussd.org.
Inspirational Messages about UUSD and Pledging
Bobbe Baggio, Pledge Team Chair, speaks about what pledging supports at UUSD. “Our Theme this year is
Deep Roots, New Growth. We’ve done a lot of wonderful things, but we still have some wonderful things to do. Let’s get it started! Let’s get ‘er done!” ~ Bobbe Baggio
Pat Murdock, Finance Committee member and Pioneer, speaks about growth at UUSD and pledging. “As a longtime member, as a Pioneer, as someone who deeply cares about the community, I invite you to join me in supporting the congregation as much as you are able.” ~ Pat Murdock
Aela Mass, UUSD member, speaks about her family finding UUSD and pledging. “My family is excited to see what UUSD does next, where we all go from here, what we can do this year that our future selves can be proud of, that our children can be proud of.” ~ Aela Mass
Nancy Smith, host of UUSD’s online social time after our livestreamed service, speaks about all the good things going on at UUSD. “Supporting a UU congregation continues to be one of the most important decisions I make. I encourage you to make your pledge to UUSD.” ~ Nancy Smith
Paul Barnette, Board President speaks about the progress & extension of the pledge campaign. “Together, we are enabling our growth in many ways as we fulfill our community’s mission and vision, and continue as a liberal voice in Sussex County. These pledges will help us to continue the programs and services that uplift each and one of us.” ~ Paul Barnette
The 2024-2025 Pledge Campaign Team thanks you for your financial support.
— Bobbe Baggio (Chair), Lisa Drottar, Linda Lewis, Kent Sprunger, and Rev. Heather Rion Starr
