First, Give Thanks.

Stewardship is the prayerful work of managing our time, talent and treasure to bring about God’s kingdom on earth. Pledging is an important spiritual practice, enabling us to grow intentionally in faith and generosity in every part of our lives. A pledge if your commitment to make a financial gift that supports the mission of Immanuel Presbyterian Church. It is also a response to God’s call and abundance in our own lives and a statement of Thanksgiving.

It all starts with pledging, and at Immanuel pledges are the sole basis for setting our annual operating budget. While outreach programs at Immanuel are directly funded by other means – the annual IPC auction, IPC Endowment, and special campaigns, it is our pledge dollars that provide the necessary funds for staff and outside vendors to maintain, clean, and schedule use of our meeting and gathering spaces that facilitate our out outreach efforts. To maintain our community of faith as we know and love it, successful pledge campaigns are essential.

The act of making an ‘offering’ is an important ritual in Immanuel’s worship service – as we pass the collection plate each week, we reflect on our blessings and share from our hearts to benefit others with gratitude. Funds collected in the offering plate do significantly enrich IPC’s life and mission and are greatly appreciated.

All donations are appreciated. Pledges, or planned offerings and gift commitments, enable the Session, our lay governing board, to establish and operating budget for the coming year and to plan within the confines of that budget. If pledges are less, we may be forced to reduce programs, staff or services, or defer building and round maintenance. To paraphrase from 2 Corinthians “when we known what we have, we can act with readiness, knowing we will have the funds to support the plans.” Just as personal budgets guide us in staying within our means, pledges from the Immanuel community provide the budget definition the church requires to set the scope of its activities, and fun staff and physical plan costs each year.

Beginning in the fall, members hear from others about what Immanuel has meant to them and their families, as well as from those in the community who have benefited from Immanuel’s ministries. Then, on Pledge Dedication Sunday in mid-November, members bring their pledge cards to church or mail them to the church office.

Nonetheless, pledges are accepted any time during the course of the calendar year. For example, if you are ready to pledge for the first time you are encouraged to do so right way. In that case, please contact Mary Ann Vaughan, Business Administrator at 703-356-3042 x202 and/or mvaughan@ipcmclean.org. There are different ways to give (more about that in a future column). She will assist you with selecting the best option for you.

Now you can make your pledge online.

There are many ways to pledge and donate. Increasingly, many of our members are pledging electronically, so there is no need to place cash or a check in the offering plate. While some may donate only periodically, the majority of our active members do so on a regular basis.

Click here to learn about Immanuel's Endowment program!

Click here!