STEWARDSHIP
Episcopal Church of the Redeemer has been the recipient of the generosity of parishioners since its formation in 1960. Now it’s our turn to continue the legacy with our own giving. Every giving commitment is significant, regardless of amount. Our parish is what we are today because of parishioners like you who give to the church.
Stewardship will provide the majority of revenue needed to fund all our ministries including worship, music, formation, and outreach. Please show your gratitude to God by pledging whatever amount is right for you. Your financial gifts provide life-affirming ministries, which connect us to Jesus Christ and to each other. Your gifts directly support some of the following:
Clergy who preach and offer pastoral care to us during pivotal times in our lives including birth, marriage, illness, and death,
Musicians who bring us closer to our Christian faith by stirring our souls,
Small groups and classes for all ages including bible study, prayer groups, and discussion forums.
By coming together as a parish we can ensure that Redeemer continues to serve our church and community families.
Redeemer’s online giving platform makes giving back to the church easier than ever. Click the button below to make a one-time gift. Recurring gifts via checking/savings account withdrawals, debits, or credit cards require a secure church login; click HERE for instructions. If you have questions about our giving program, please telephone Leigh Deignan, our treasurer, at 804-379-8899 or email her at Finance@redeemermidlothian.org.
Pledge cards are available HERE and are also available in the church office. These can be used by both those who have a new pledge and those who would like to increase their current pledge.
WHAT IS A PLEDGE?
A pledge is first; a commitment to God from your heart…and then a financial commitment to the place where you and your family encounter and experience God in your life/lives. So tangibly a pledge is your annual commitment to give an amount of money to the church in regular installments (weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually) of your choice.
WHAT IS STEWARDSHIP?
Stewardship is taking care of and making good use of the gifts we believe to be ‘on loan’ to us from God. Being a good steward means making good use of our God-given talents and time; perhaps through useful ministries at Redeemer and perhaps in other ways. Our time is a gift from God…some of which we are called to give back. Our talents are gifts from God…some of which we are called to give back. God’s gifts of time and talent, along with so many others, allow us to make money. God desires that we be good stewards of that money for ourselves and for our families, and that we give some of it back to a place where we and others experience a deepening of our faith.
Stewardship then is God’s call to all of us to make a commitment to a place like Redeemer that offers everyone so much more than we could ever buy or acquire from the world.
WHY SHOULD I PLEDGE?
Pledging must begin with our hearts. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Pledging then is a spiritual statement to God as to the treasure we consider God’s house to be in our hearts.
Supporting Redeemer as God’s house is an essential element of how we live out our faith and good stewardship. All we do at Redeemer does cost money, so we are all asked to be part of the voluntary practice of pledging…so that our shared mission and ministries at Redeemer can be appropriately funded in our annual budget.
FAQs
HOW MUCH SHOULD I PLEDGE?
This is a matter of your heart and the hearts of those in your household. We suggest, and we believe God deeply desires, that you and your family start this consideration with prayer. Perhaps the next step might be to consider all the ways in which God has blessed your family, how grateful your family is for those gifts, how much your family’s faith means, and how it is encouraged to grow at Redeemer. Then give a gift from your heart, a symbol of your relationship with God…and your desire that others might have the same experience.
IS MY PLEDGE TAX DEDUCTIBLE?
Yes. Mid-year and yearly statements are sent out to every pledging household, and may be used as official documentation for tax purposes. In addition, Redeemer parishioners can always review their contribution history by logging onto ACS through this website.
WHAT IF I NEED TO CHANGE THE AMOUNT OF MY PLEDGE?
We recognize that employment and economic situations change; sometimes in a way that means tightening our household budgets, and sometimes in a way that brings our household budgets a little more. If this happens after you have made your pledge, we want you to know that a necessary reduction in your pledge is something we will receive with sincere pastoral understanding. We also hope you recognize that if God has blessed your family with a greater abundance than expected, you can always increase your pledge to Redeemer as well.
HOW DOES REDEEMER GET OPERATING FUNDS?
Funds for all of Redeemer's operations (formation programs, fellowship activites, maintenance, mortgage, and salaries) come from parishioner donations. We do not receive money from the Diocese of Southern Virginia, nor does Redeemer’s foundation generate revenue. Our operating budget depends on pledged revenue, so that we can budget for our ongoing monthly expenses as well as plan for new programs, personnel, and building improvements.
I HESITATE TO MAKE A PLEDGE AND HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTING PERIODICALLY. ISN’T A DONATION, A DONATION?
Of course, we welcome and appreciate all contributions, but without a pledge we cannot accurately anticipate revenue and cannot budget responsibly.
WHY THE EMPHASIS ON PLEDGING AND MONEY OUTSIDE OF THE STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN?
Although the annual fall campaign is when we offer our pledges of financial comittment, it is God's hope and desire that we begin to think of stewardship as a way of life--a giving back of just a portion of what God has given us so abundantly. When we are able to see giving back to God in that way, our own faith journeys will grow alongside the growth of Redeemer, with unlimited possibilities.
I KNOW REDEEMER USUALLY HOLDS TWO MAMMOTH FUNDRAISERS: AN AWESOME RUMMAGE SALE AND THE EVER-POPULAR CHRISTMAS TREE LOT. WHERE DOES THE MONEY FROM THOSE EVENTS GO?
The proceeds from the rummage sale are designated to support the Journey to Adulthood (J2A) program for our teens and provide funding support for an international pilgrimage, Urban Adventure, and mission work. All proceeds from the Christmas tree lot fund our outreach programs.
HOW ARE CONTRIBUTION STATEMENTS DISTRIBUTED?
Typically third-quarter statements dated September 30 are mailed to all contributors in the month of October. Annual statements are mailed mid-January in the new year. If you have questions, please contact church treasurer Leigh Deignan at 804-379-8899 or Finance@redeemermidlothian.org.
ARE THERE OTHER WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY?
Yes! Redeemer now participates in the Kroger Rewards program and the Amazon Smile program. The directions at the bottom of this page will walk you through the steps to donate a percentage of your purchases to Redeemer.
Shop at AmazonSmile and Amazon will make a donation to: Church of the Redeemer
