Saint Michael & All Angels

 What are the dates for this year's Stewardship Campaign?
The Stewardship Campaign at Saint Michael & All Angels begins in October. You should receive a letter announcing the campaign and a pledge card in the mail by early October. Stewardship Sunday will be October 18, 2009, at which time we will welcome The Right Reverend Charles F. Duvall, retired bishop of the Central Gulf Coast, as our guest speaker. We are combining Stewardship Sunday with Commitment Sunday this year, and the Parishioners are encouraged to return their pledge cards on Stewardship Sunday, October 18, 2009, as part of our celebration. However, you can make a pledge at any time.
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 What is our target for the Stewardship Campaign?
We are seeking to raise $6 million dollars in this year's Stewardship Campaign. The Vestry has set this target in order to enable Saint Michael to continue to deliver its rich variety of programs and ministries. While these are uncertain economic times, many of us now depend on our church more than ever. An operating budget of $6 million dollars allows us to serve these growing needs of our congregation as well as keep pace with the higher operating and administrative costs of our parish and the expected increase in costs of the programs offered in our various ministries.
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 How is the Stewardship Campaign different from the Capital Campaign?
At a very basic level, the Stewardship Campaign is about providing the means for the church to accomplish, on a daily basis, the work of Christ in the world. Capital campaigns are intended to supplement Stewardship by focusing on long-term goals that are beyond the reach of our regular budget.

Specifically, the Stewardship Campaign is an annual event that provides the funding needed to meet our operating budget. It pays for everything we need to run the church — e.g., worship services, Sunday school for children and adults, operations and maintenance of the building, staff salaries, mission and outreach, music programs, pastoral care, etc. Whether or not you have contributed to a recent capital campaign, we ask that you consider setting aside a portion of your “first fruits” to support the daily life and work of the church.

Capital campaigns are more infrequent events focused on achieving long-term objectives such as the acquisition of additional properties and/or the renovation or expansion of the church.  Gifts to a Capital Campaign are best viewed as supplementing annual Stewardship pledges.
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The amount of your pledge is entirely up to you, knowing that God asks only that we give back a portion of the bounty he has provided to us. The gold standard for Christian giving has been the tithe, or 10% of income. If, however, you are not ready for that level of giving, we encourage you to pledge a lower percentage and consider increasing your pledge each year. The Bible teaches us that God richly blesses those who give faithfully and with a cheerful heart. We ask only that you prayerfully consider what level of giving is right for you and your family.

In setting your goals for Stewardship giving, it may be helpful to consider the “stair-step” graphic set forth below, which illustrates how Stewardship pledges break down in our parish. This may assist you in understanding how others have responded to the needs of the church, and in planning your own present and future gifts.

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Proportional giving is based on the premise that the “first fruits” are to be given back to God as a faithful response to what God has provided us. This involves setting aside a tithe, or other appropriate portion of our income, before other needs or priorities are considered. We ask each parishioner to consider making an annual pledge in proportion to income. Give joyfully and with the spiritual abundance that God has given each of us. Consider the wisdom from 2 Corinthians 9:8, "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

Giving Percentage Table

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You can make a pledge to Saint Michael in several different ways. You can fill out the pledge card mailed to you in the fall and return it to the church. You can also make a pledge by telephone. If you would like to make a telephone pledge, please call Karen Linn in the Stewardship office at 214-365-3557. Or, you can make a pledge online

If mailing in a pledge, please send it in the return envelope provided and mail it to:

Saint Michael and All Angels
Attention: Karen Linn
8011 Douglas Avenue
Dallas, Texas 75225
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What methods of payment does the church accept?
Saint Michaels accepts Stewardship contributions in the form of cash, check, credit card, and stock gifts. Many parishioners find that it is easy to pay by monthly credit card debits or by making periodic payments through on-line banking. Other parishioners pay by cash or check, using the offering envelopes provided by the church. When you complete your pledge card, please indicate your preferred method of payment or contact Karen Linn in the Stewardship office at 214-365-3557 to discuss available alternatives.
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If you would like to obtain offering envelopes, please check the appropriate box on the pledge card or online pledge form or request them by calling Karen Linn in the Stewardship office at 214-365-3557. The church will send the offering envelopes once you submit your pledge.
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Donations through the collection plate are, of course, welcome. The amount of these donations, however, varies significantly from week to week, and they do not provide the predictability needed to meet the church's obligations. Imagine that you are trying to plan your family's budget but do know how much income you can count on for the remainder of the year? On the other hand, annual pledges provide a solid basis for the church to plan its operating budget, and almost 80 percent of our annual budget is currently derived from pledges. Only 1 percent of our church income comes from plate offerings.

It is also important to remember that it has been the tradition at Saint Michael to take all the “plate money” from Christmas and Easter and divide it to support local, national, and international outreach programs. Therefore, no funds received from plate offerings on these important dates, or other plate offerings designated for outreach, go toward funding church operations.
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Can I specify exactly how I want my pledge to be used?
We would request that you consider making your pledge as an unrestricted gift. Pledges are donations that are used to fund the operating budget of Saint Michael. The budget is set each year by the Finance Committee and approved by the Vestry, who are elected by parish members as their representatives. This approach allows the leadership of the church to ensure that all areas of need receive support each year and not just particular projects. If every parishioner restricted how his or her pledge could be used, the church could face serious difficulties in meeting its basic costs. However, if you decide to make a restricted gift, the church will honor your request.
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What if I make a pledge, but later find that I can't meet my obligation?
A pledge is an estimate to facilitate church budgeting and is not a legal obligation. If you experience financial or other difficulties (such as a job loss, serious illness, or other unexpected events) and find that you are not able to satisfy your pledge, we ask only that you notify Karen Linn in the Stewardship Office at 214-365-3557.
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How many people at Saint Michael make an annual pledge?
In last year's Stewardship Campaign, approximately 48 percent of our parishioners made a pledge to Saint Michael. For the past 10 years, participation has ranged from approximately 45 to 50 percent. Just think what we could do if we had 100 percent participation, regardless of the amount!

There is both an opportunity and a need this year to increase participation significantly. The Stewardship Committee is challenging the congregation at Saint Michael and All Angels to fully invest in God's work through our beloved parish.
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Where does the money go?
The leadership of Saint Michael is committed to being good stewards of your financial contributions. Careful consideration is given each year to the allocation of operating funds to serve the needs of our parish. During the last year, the largest areas of operating expenditures were as follows:

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Funds used by our Mission and Outreach programs come from a variety of sources. Only a portion of these funds comes from the annual budget or your Stewardship pledges (see answer above). Other funds — such as donations for youth and adult mission trips — are raised through fund-raising efforts that are not included in the annual budget.

It is important to note that your Stewardship dollars provide the platform for a multitude of outreach activities that would not be possible without the inspiration and support of the church. In total, we estimate that our parish donated $2,000,000 for mission, outreach, diocesan, and national church activities in 2008.
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