Committees - Organizations » Stewardship Committee » Fall Stewardship Drive

CHURCH OF ST. MARY
Annual Stewardship Program

Planning and Commitment Guide

Helping you evaluate your financial commitment to the Church of St. Mary

Your Contributions made easy.

The St. Mary's Automatic Offering Plan

Many of our parishioners enjoy the convenience, safety and reliability of making their weekly or monthly stewardship contributions through St. Mary's Automatic Offering Plan. You simply complete the attached form and we'll do the rest. It's safe, easy, and absolutely free. Here is what one parishioner has to say about the Automatic Offering Plan.

"I don't know why I waited so long to sign up! I no longer have to write checks every week, no more looking for my stewardship envelopes...it saves me time and I know I am supporting St. Mary's in a very convenient way!"

The St. Mary's Automatic Offering Plan is similar to payment programs offered by banks, telephone and utility companies. Your contributions are automatically withdrawn from a regular checking account at any bank or credit union. It's 100% safe. No one but you has access to your account and nothing can be withdrawn without your authorization. And you can change or cancel your contributions by simply sending a written notice to St. Mary's.

Prayer. . .

Lord, you have enriched me with the strength of Your word. You have opened my mind and heart to see the wonders You have created. You have blessed me with many gifts. Spirit of God, help me to recognize these gifts, and empower me to use them wisely. Amen.

How Much Should I Pledge?

A pledge of any amount is always meaningful to St. Mary's. Typically, our parishioners make a weekly pledge between 2% and 10% of their weekly income. Use the chart below to determine a pledge amount that is suitable to your household (you may apply that amount as you fill out the pledge form in this brochure).

PLEDGE GUIDELINES FOR A WEEKLY AMOUNT
Weekly Income	10%	5%	4%	2%
$200	$20	$10	$8	$4
$500	$50	$25	$20	$10
$750	$75	$37	$30	$15
$1,000	$100	$50	$40	$20
$1,500	$150	$75	$60	$30
$2,000	$200	$100	$80	$40

Stewardship Prayer

Lord, You alone are the source of every good gift,
of the vast array of universe,
and the mystery of each human life.
We praise You and we thank You
for Your great power and Your tender, faithful
LOVE.

Everything we are and everything we have is
Your gift,
and after having created us,
You have given us into the keeping of Your son,
JESUS CHRIST.

Fill our minds with His truth
and our hearts with His love,
that in His Spirit
we may be bonded together into a community
of faithful, caring people.

In the Name and Spirit of Jesus,
we commit ourselves to be good stewards
of the gifts entrusted to us,
to share our time, our talent
and our material gifts as an outward sign
of the Treasure we hold in Jesus.
AMEN.

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR PASTOR

An understanding of stewardship begins with the recognition that everything we have is a gift from God. God's gifts include our time, our abilities and all that we call our own. As Christians, we are called to nurture and develop these gifts and to use them to serve God and those around us.

Stewardship is not about raising money. Stewardship is a way of life based on the belief that we are daughters and sons of God, and our life proves it when we share our gifts with God and others. Through the offering of our time, talent and treasure we are able to carry on the mission of Christ, here at St. Mary's, through our prayer, worship and programs of faith formation and social outreach.

This stewardship pledge card provides each one of us the opportunity to commit a specified amount of offering to St. Mary's Church for the coming year. With these commitments, our parish can responsibly budget for the activities, programs and other projects that are needed to help shape the faith life of each member of this parish community.

Please prayerfully consider how much you can give back to God and to the building of his kingdom here at St. Mary's. On behalf of the Stewardship Committee, the Parish Administrative Council and the Staff, I thank you for your generous commitment to our parish.

In gratitude,
Fr. Steve Verhelst

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

? What is an annual commitment and why should I make one?
Your annual commitment is the amount you plan to give to St. Mary's weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually. It is not a gift in addition to your regular offering, rather, it is what you have decided your offering will be in the coming year. When you make the decision to become part of St. Mary's Church, you take responsibility for contributing to the life and mission of this faith community. The annual commitment is based on the spiritual principles of stewardship. Namely, all that we have and all that we are comes from God and, as a way to thank God for our blessings, we return a portion of our personal and financial gifts to the parish.

? What is my contribution used for?
Many people don't realize that running a parish is just as costly as running any other institution. It costs over $14,000 per week to run St. Mary's including salaries, building maintenance, liturgical supplies, and so on. Eighty-five percent of our income comes from the weekly and seasonal collections.

In 2007-2008 our parish will continue to demonstrate its commitment to the ideals of stewardship by Tithing 10% of its regular income to community organizations that serve those in need.

? What is the importance of the commitment card?
The commitment card is designed to help you make a decision about how much you will give to the parish in the coming year. It is a tangible sign of your commitment to St. Mary's Church. Also, having an idea of how much income to expect helps the Administrative Council along with the staff to plan & budget our operating expenses and projects.

? What about the Sunday I am not at St. Mary's Church?
As parishioners, we are responsible for the financial well-being of the parish. Our contributions are not just symbolic tokens, but are what keeps the parish running week by week. We ask you to make an ongoing commitment to St. Mary's, whether you are at Mass or not. To make this easier for you, our offering envelopes may be returned in the mail, or may also be placed in our Area Church collection which will be forwarded to St. Mary's, or you may participate in Direct Deposit which many are finding to be very convenient. (See more information on the back of the commitment card)

PLEDGE FORM

Please fill out the simple 4 - step form, and mail in today.

1. PLEDGE AMOUNT

My/our pledge for 20 will be a total gift of $ To be paid WEEKLY MONTHLY   installments of $

2. PERSONAL INFORMATION

LAST NAME FIRST NAME MIDDLE INITIAL LAST NAME FIRST NAME MIDDLE INITIAL STREET NAME CITY STATE ZIP TELEPHONE

3. PAYMENT METHODS (Choose one of two options)

Option 1: Weekly Envelopes Envelopes will be sent to you for your weekly contributions.

Option 2: Automatic Offering Plan I authorize St. Mary’s, 713 12th St. SW, Willmar, MN 56201 to withdraw automatically my pledge offering from:

Bank Name Account Number *Please include a voided check to provide the necessary routing information! I have enclosed a voided check to provide the necessary information. This authority will remain in effect until I notify St. Mary’s in writing to cancel, at least one week prior to the next withdrawal date, or by notifying my financial institution 3 days before my account is to be charged. Pledge offerings will be withdrawn the 5th or 20th of each month.

4. SIGNATURE

Please contact me about sharing in the ministry through my will. Please contact me about alternative types of giving.